This week saw the extension of journalist Nurlan Libre’s pretrial detention, employment challenges faced by activist Ismayil Taghiyev reportedly due to political reasons, and the sentencing of exiled blogger Mahammad Mirzali to six and a half years in prison on charges including incitement and calls against state authority.
Detention Period of Journalist Nurlan Libre Extended
The pretrial detention of journalist Nurlan Gahramanli (Libre), who was arrested in connection with the “Meydan TV case,” has been extended by another three months following a decision by the Khatai District Court, presided over by Judge Rafael Sadigov.
Libre was initially detained on February 21, 2025, as part of a broader criminal investigation involving Meydan TV. He faces charges under Article 206.3.2 of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code, which pertains to smuggling committed by a group in prior collusion. His detention has been extended multiple times since his arrest. Currently, 12 individuals remain in custody in relation to the case.
On August 28, 2025, the charges were further intensified, with seven additional articles added to the indictment. The journalists involved maintain their innocence and argue that they are being targeted for their critical reporting.
NIDA member says he was denied employment due to his political views
Ismayil Taghiyev, a member of the NIDA Civic Movement and an IT specialist, says he has been declared an “undesirable person” in Azerbaijan and is facing serious obstacles in finding employment because of this. According to Taghiyev, since May of this year, he has applied for jobs at various state and state-affiliated institutions. Although he successfully passed the competition stages, he was ultimately rejected at the last moment. He told Meydan TV that these rejections mostly occur after the questionnaire phase, when he is required to submit personal and family information.
Ismayil Taghiyev. Photo: Personal Facebook Page
Previously, Ismayil Taghiyev worked as a journalist and in April 2024, he was questioned as a witness in the “AbzasMedia case” at the Baku City Main Police Department.
“I worked for one of Russia’s largest technology companies and have over three years of experience in IT. After returning to Azerbaijan, I started looking for a job. I passed the selection stages at the places I applied to. But after submitting my personal and family information, I either received no response or was rejected,” Taghiyev said.
According to him, most recently, he was invited to an artificial intelligence lab operating under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport and passed all stages. However, a month later, he was informed that after a background check, the ministry did not approve his employment. No official reason was given. Ismayil Taghiyev believes the situation is politically motivated. He suspects that the political activities of his wife, activist Jamila Alishova, may be behind this.
On January 29, 2025, Jamila Alishova ran as a candidate in the municipal elections held in Azerbaijan. Before and after the elections, she faced various obstacles and made these issues public through her social media accounts.
Jamila Alishova. Photo: Personal Facebook Page
“Both my wife and I are members of the NIDA movement. Jamila ran as a candidate in the 23rd Nasimi-Sabayil district in this year’s municipal elections. I suspect that because of this, when our personal data is checked, it is flagged as a ‘political view,’ leading to the rejections. State-affiliated institutions reject my applications after an initial review. This shows that we are being monitored by the state, both physically and digitally. Imagine this — despite all my experience, I can’t get a single job in Azerbaijan. I have the right to work, to not go hungry, and to live comfortably, but this right has effectively been taken away from me by the Azerbaijani state.”
It was not possible to obtain a comment from the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport regarding the reasons for rejecting Ismayil Taghiyev’s employment.
Exiled blogger sentenced to 6 years and 6 months in prison
On September 15, the trial of blogger Mahammad Mirzali, who currently resides abroad, concluded at the Binagadi District Court. During the hearing, presided over by Judge Vusal Taghiyev, Mirzali was sentenced to six years and six months in prison.
Photo: From Mahammad Mirzali’s personal archive
He faced charges under Article 220.2 of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code for making calls to disobey the lawful demands of government officials, inciting mass unrest, and encouraging violence against citizens. Additionally, he was charged under Article 281.1 for making public calls to violently seize or retain power, forcibly change the constitutional order of the Republic of Azerbaijan, or undermine its territorial integrity, as well as for distributing materials containing such messages.
Mahammad Mirzali is a former member of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (AXCP) and currently lives in France. According to his own statements, he organized a protest in Goychay titled “Stop Soldier Deaths!” and faced persecution as a result. He claims that before going into exile, he was detained and mistreated by police, and that his father was repeatedly summoned and threatened by authorities.
