Activists call for release of Abzas Media and Meydan TV journalists

The activists, who used to annually organize feminist actions in Baku on March 8, have abandoned the traditional march. They have called on the authorities to release the arrested Abzas Media and Meydan TV journalists.

"Since 2019, we’ve held marches in Baku on March 8 in order to revive the essence of this historical day, to shed light on the difficulties our women face – inequality, pressure and harassments ... However, in response, we have been subjected to violence, pressure and threats. Today, repressions have entered a new stage in Azerbaijan. The freedom of speech is being destroyed, the freedom of assembly is being taken away from us, and human rights defenders and journalists are sent to jail on trumped-up charges," the statement said.

Its authors have emphasized that eight female journalists arrested "for their professional activities" are forced to remain in prison on March 8.

"Over the past five years, the incidence of domestic violence against women has increased 3.3 times ... It is necessary to implement programmes to ensure the well-being of women with children and single mothers," the authors of the statement have added.

For the first time, feminists in Baku tried to hold an action under the motto: "Speak out against violence" on March 8, 2019. In 2020, policemen detained several feminist marchers; and in 2021, the police stopped a similar action.