“Toplum TV” editorial staff leaves Azerbaijan due to pressure

The “Toplum TV” portal has suspended its activities in Azerbaijan because of persecution of journalists. The resource will continue its activities from abroad.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that activists and journalists arrested in the “Toplum TV” case have been charged under the article on smuggling. The defendants face up to 12 years of imprisonment. On February 5, Shakhnaz Beylyargyzy, a “Toplum TV” editor, was detained in a new criminal case on foreign currency smuggling, which was singled out in separate proceedings.

“The ‘Toplum TV’ portal, which has been operating since 2016, has set itself the main goal of informing citizens about events in the country and the world, being guided by the principles of honest journalism. During this period, we have published thousands of materials, and we have become an impartial and unbiased source of information for our readers,” the “Toplum TV” portal claims in its statement.

“Unfortunately, pressure on the media makes it impossible for the ‘Toplum TV’ to operate in the country. Therefore, the ‘Toplum TV’ will continue to operate through journalists living outside the country ... As before, the ‘Toplum TV’ will be guided by the principles of impartial, unbiased, and independent journalism,” the statement emphasizes.

As one of the journalists collaborating with the “Toplum TV” portal reported, the temporary editorial office of the publication will be located in one of the European countries.

“The ‘Toplum TV” will continue its activities from abroad. It is impossible to suppress freedom of the media in the century of the Internet,” the journalist noted.