Nargiz Absalamova (born 17 July 1998) is an Azerbaijani journalist and political prisoner. She is known for her work with independent media outlets such as Gazette, MikroskopMedia, Toplum TV, and Abzas Media. She has experienced police violence and harassment due to her investigative reporting. Absalamova was detained multiple times while covering protests. She was charged with smuggling in 2023, a charge she denies, and has been detained since then.
Nargiz Absalamova | |
|---|---|
Nərgiz Absalamova | |
 Absalamova in 2022 | |
| Born | 17 July 1998 Baku, Azerbaijan |
| Education | Baku State University |
| Occupation | Journalist |
Early life and education
editNargiz Absalamova was born on 17 July 1998, in Baku, Azerbaijan. She began her education at secondary school No. 170 in 2004 and graduated in 2015. That same year, she enrolled in the Faculty of Journalism at Baku State University, from which she graduated in 2019.[1]
Upon completing her higher education, she participated in a journalism training program at the Institute of Democratic Initiatives in 2019. Following this, she embarked on her journalism career, working with various independent media outlets such as Gazette, MikroskopMedia, Toplum TV, and Abzas Media.
Journalism career
editAs a journalist, Absalamova has experienced police violence and harassment. In 2021, while covering a feminist protest, she and her colleagues were detained by officers from the Khazar District Police Department. A recording of the threats and violence they received while in custody was released.[2]
In December 2022, during a protest against the government's proposed "On Media" law, she was subjected to police brutality, resulting in a broken collarbone.[3] On June 21, 2023, while covering a protest by residents of Soyudlu village in Gadabay district, she was detained, had her phone confiscated, and was forcibly removed from the village.[4]
Absalamova has primarily worked for Abzas Media, an independent media platform that conducts investigative journalism into the activities of government officials in Azerbaijan, including alleged corruption in reconstruction efforts in Karabakh since 2020. Between 2022 and 2023, Abzas Media examined the family members of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, the head of the Presidential Security Service Baylar Eyyubov, and the head of the State Security Service Ali Naghiyev. They also published reports on tenders associated with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and PASHA Holding. The "Unsolved Crimes" series included research on former metro chief Taghi Ahmadov, former rector of Baku Slavic University Nurlana Aliyeva, former commander of the 1st Army Corps Hikmat Hasanov, former mayor of Baku Hajibala Abutalybov, former deputy Elmira Akhundova, former Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Huseyngulu Baghirov, and current Minister of Finance Samir Sharifov, highlighting uninvestigated crimes.
Arrest and detention
editOn November 20, 2023, Ulvi Hasanli, the CEO of Abzas Media, was detained near his home while en route to the airport for an international trip.[5] Hasanli was taken to the Main Police Department of Baku city, where both his home and the Abzas Media office were searched. Zibeyda Sadigova, Hasanli's lawyer, reported that during a five-hour search at the office, the police allegedly found 40,000 euros. Additionally, on the night of November 20–21, Sevinj Vagifgizi, the editor-in-chief of Abzas Media, returned to Azerbaijan from Istanbul, was detained by police at Heydar Aliyev International Airport, and had her apartment searched.[6] Both journalists were charged under Article 206.3.2 (smuggling in a preliminary arrangement by a group of persons) of the Criminal code and were placed in pre-trial detention.[7]
In November 2023, following the arrest of Abzas Media managers and employees on smuggling charges, Nargiz was interrogated as a witness at the Main Police Department of Baku City.[8] A week later, on November 30, she was summoned again as a witness but was detained as a suspect and charged under Article 206.3.2 (smuggling; on preliminary arrangement by group of persons) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.[9] On December 1,[10] the Khatai District Court ordered her detention for three months.[11][12]
In court, Absalamova denied the accusations, asserting that her arrest, like that of her colleagues, was linked to her journalism, particularly her investigations into corruption for Abzas Media. During the investigation, her detention was extended three times, with the latest extension on June 11, 2024, adding another three months to her pretrial detention.[13] The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Azerbaijani authorities to release her and her jailed Abzas Media colleagues.[14] Additionally, international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International,[15] Human Rights Watch (HRW),[16] the European Federation of Journalists,[17] the Norwegian Helsinki Committee,[18] along with the US State Department,[19] have condemned Absalamova's arrest.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Movlamli, Fatima (20 March 2024). "There's a rising trend of arresting female journalists in Azerbaijan". JAMnews.
- ^ Quliyeva, Ülviyyə (6 August 2021). "Polis idarəsində zorakılığa məruz qalan fəallar ekspertizadan keçiblər". VOA (in Azerbaijani).
- ^ Fərhadoğlu, Tapdıq (2021-12-29). ""Media haqqında" qanuna etiraz aksiyası zamanı jurnalistlərdən biri xəsarət alıb". Voice of America (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 2024-07-22.
- ^ "Söyüdlü kəndində çəkiliş aparan jurnalistlər polis tərəfindən təzyiqə məruz qalıb". Voice of America (in Azerbaijani). 2023-06-22. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
- ^ Fərhadoğlu, Tapdıq (2023-11-20). ""AbzasMedia"nın direktoru saxlanılıb". Voice of America (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 2024-07-22.
- ^ Bayramova, Pərvanə (2023-11-21). "Abzas Medianın baş redaktorunun hava limanında saxlanıldığı bildirilir". Voice of America (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 2024-07-22.
- ^ Fərhadoğlu, Tapdıq (2023-11-21). "Məhkəmə Abzas Media xəbər saytının direktoru və baş redaktoru barədə həbs qətimkan tədbiri seçib". Voice of America (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 2024-07-22.
- ^ Quliyeva, Ülviyyə (2023-11-23). Jurnalist Nərgiz Absalamova Abzas Media işi ilə bağlı dindirilib (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 2024-07-22 – via Amerikaninsesi.org.
- ^ "'Abzas Media' saytının əməkdaşı saxlanılıb". APA (in Azerbaijani). 30 November 2023.
- ^ "Friday Wrap-up: AbsazMedia case, jailed opposition party member, and EU-Azerbaijan gas deal". Meydan. 2023-12-01. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
- ^ Karimova, Fatima; Bloss, Kelly (30 November 2023). "Wave of Journalist Arrests Continues in Azerbaijan". OCCRP.
- ^ "Azerbaijani Journalist Ordered Detained Amid Clampdown On Independent Media". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. 2 December 2023.
- ^ Bayramova, Pərvanə (2024-06-11). "Jurnalist Nərgiz Absalamovanın həbs müddəti üç ay uzadıldı". Voice of America (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 2024-07-22.
- ^ "Azerbaijani journalist Nargiz Absalamova detained for 3 months amid crackdown on Abzas Media". Committee to Protect Journalists. 2023-12-01. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
- ^ "Azerbaijan: Authorities intensifying crackdown on independent media". Amnesty International. 2023-12-12. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
- ^ Geybulla, Arzu (2023-12-05). "Even More Journalists Arrested in Azerbaijan". Human Rights Watch. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
- ^ "Azerbaijan: Abzas Media's journalist Elnara Gasimova arrested by the government". European Federation of Journalists. 2024-02-06. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
- ^ "Azerbaijan: Crackdown on critical media ahead of elections". Norwegian Helsinki Committee. 2024-01-19. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
- ^ Raufoglu, Alex (2023-12-02). "U.S. Says 'Continues To Be Deeply Troubled' As Wave of Journalist Arrests Continues in Azerbaijan". Turan. Retrieved 2024-07-22.