Another Azerbaijani journalist arrested

Baku’s Khatai District Court has remanded journalist Nurlan (Libre) Gahramanli to one month and 15 days in pre-trial detention. Gahramanli, who is accused of smuggling money, was detained as part of the Meydan TV case, OC Media reported.

On 20 February, Gahramanli was detained in Baku. According to his brother,  Gahramanli was then taken to Sumgayit, where he usually resides.

According to his brother, once there, Gahramanli’s house was raided and his and his brother’s phones were confiscated.

Afterwards, Gahramanli was taken back to Baku to attend a bail hearing. According to his relatives, who spoke to journalists, Gahramanli’s lawyer was not in attendance at court as the judge refused to wait for him, citing the inclement weather.

Gahramanli was previously detained in 2023 and sentenced to administrative arrest for sharing social posts against war. He has repeatedly stated that government pressure has been exerted against him.

Previously, on 5 February, Shamshad Aghayev, Editor-in-Chief of the Argument media outlet who collaborated with Meydan TV, was detained. Shortly afterwards, he was remanded to two months and one day of pretrial detention.