Azerbaijan urged to free detained women journalists

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 6 February 2026 |  JP Asia Desk

Article 19 and other rights groups have urged Azerbaijan to free women journalists Aysel Umudova and Ulviyya Guliyeva, detained in the Meydan TV case, and to probe allegations of sexual harassment and degrading treatment in custody.

Summary

BAKU, Azerbaijan — Azerbaijan is facing international pressure from press freedom advocates to release women journalists detained on politically motivated charges and to investigate credible allegations of ill treatment in custody.

Campaigners from the rights group Article 19 and other organizations have called on authorities to free journalists Aysel Umudova and Ulviyya Guliyeva, who were arrested in connection with the Meydan TV case and remain in custody pending a trial scheduled for February 6, 2026. The letter from Umudova detailed allegations of sexual harassment and degrading treatment during her arrest and detention that rights groups say constitute torture and cruel treatment, and they have urged independent investigations and accountability. 

Journalists and human rights defenders say the arrests form part of a broader pattern of politically motivated prosecutions against independent media in Azerbaijan, where authorities have used criminal charges such as smuggling and illegal entrepreneurship against journalists from outlets including Meydan TV and Abzas Media. Independent observers and international bodies have criticized the lack of fair trial standards, extended detentions without adequate legal or medical support, and the absence of impartial scrutiny of allegations of mistreatment in custody by law enforcement. 

Allegations of mistreatment and international calls for action

Rights groups, including Amnesty International, the World Organization Against Torture, and the International Federation for Human Rights, have joined Article 19 in condemning the treatment of journalists and calling for their unconditional release and prompt, independent investigations into alleged abuses. They have also urged international organizations such as the European Union and the Council of Europe to closely monitor court proceedings and detention conditions in Azerbaijan. 

Broader context of press freedom challenges in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan has a longstanding record of restricting independent media and civil society, with repeated arrests, prosecutions, and convictions of journalists and critics on charges widely regarded by rights advocates as fabricated or politically motivated. Recent cases include the prosecution and sentencing of journalists from independent outlets such as Abzas Media, which drew criticism from international press freedom groups for judicial harassment and lack of due process. 

WHY THIS MATTERS: The international campaign for the release of detained women journalists in Azerbaijan highlights persistent threats to independent reporting and the safety of media workers. For Pakistani media professionals, this underscores the importance of legal protection for journalism, vigilance against politically motivated prosecutions, and the need to monitor allegations of abuse in custody that can undermine press freedom norms and journalists’ ability to report without fear of retaliation.

ATTRIBUTION: Reporting based on Article 19 and related rights group documents and press freedom coverage.

PHOTO: By Faik Nagiyev from Pixabay