19:46, 1 October 2025

Human rights activists are concerned about threats to Farid Ismailov.

Farid Ismailov. Screenshot from arqument.az, January 25, 2025, https://www.arqument.az/az/apelyasiya-mehkemesi-jurnalist-ferid-ismayilovu-azad-etmeyib/

The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on Azerbaijani authorities to release Toplum TV employee Farid Ismayilov, who has been receiving threats, and other imprisoned journalists.

As reported by the Caucasian Knot, during the Toplum TV trial, journalist Farid Ismayilov stated that he had received death threats while in custody. His relatives also confirmed this to Meydan TV. According to them, one of the prisoners had threatened him.

The activists and journalists arrested in the Toplum TV case, who were initially accused of currency smuggling, were charged in January with new charges under six criminal offenses. They face up to 12 years in prison. Toplum TV positioned itself as an independent platform for expressing diverse opinions on socio-political and socio-economic events. On February 10, Toplum TV announced the suspension of its operations in Azerbaijan.

"The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about reports of death threats and harassment against imprisoned journalist Farid Ismayilov," the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) stated on social media.

According to the committee, "Azerbaijani authorities should ensure Ismayilov's safety and release him and more than two dozen other unjustly imprisoned journalists."

The number of political prisoners in Azerbaijan reached its highest level in 23 years of membership in the Council of Europe in 2024, according to the Caucasian Knot report "Key Points on the Record Number of Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan." At the same time, the Azerbaijani authorities deny the existence of political prisoners in the country.

Translated automatically via Google translate from https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/415922