The IPI global network today strongly condemns the sentencing of Azerbaijani researcher, peace activist, and OC Media contributor Bahruz Samadov to 15 years in prison on spurious charges of treason.聽
IPI renews聽our call on the Azerbaijani government to immediately release Samadov, along with all other detained journalists. We further urge the international community to exert meaningful pressure on Azerbaijan to end its persecution of independent journalists and other government critics.
On June 23, the Baku Grave Crimes Court sentenced Samadov,聽 a regular media commentator, researcher and peace activist to to 15 years in prison on spurious charges of treason聽following a closed-door trial. According to , only his grandmother, friends and a few activists were allowed into the courtroom for the verdict. The prosecution had requested a 16-year sentence. reported that Samadov attempted suicide and later began a hunger strike.聽
鈥淎zerbaijani authorities鈥� relentless crackdown on independent journalism and dissent must end. All unjustly imprisoned journalists, including Samadov, must be immediately released,鈥� said Oliver Money-Kyrle, IPI鈥檚 Head of Europe Advocacy. 鈥淭he international community has a duty to apply sustained pressure on President Aliyev鈥檚 government. EU member states, in particular, must place media freedom at the core of their relationship with Azerbaijan.鈥�
Samadov was arrested on August 21, 2024 and charged with high treason due to his interactions with Armenian researchers and peace activists. Shortly after his detention, two OC Media contributors, Javid Agha and Samad Shikhi were briefly detained and released, indicating a targeted pattern of persecution of media critics.
On August 23, 2024, a Baku court ordered that he be held in pretrial detention for four months.聽 In December, the court extended Samadov鈥檚 pre-trial detention until March 9, 2025. While in custody, visits and communication with Samadov鈥檚 family have been . Authorities have rejected the petition to transfer Samadov to house arrest.
An outspoken critic of the Azerbaijani government, Samadov regularly wrote about Azerbaijani politics for regional and international media outlets, including OC Media and Eurasianet.
In his publications, Samadov openly the authoritarianism of the Azerbaijani government, condemned the country鈥檚 militarism, and opposed the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The sentencing comes as seven other journalists in Azerbaijan were also handed prison sentences on June 23 on separate charges of 鈥渇oreign currency smuggling.鈥� According to IPI monitoring, following this series of arrests at least 25 media workers remain behind bars across Azerbaijan.