Journalist Nigar Mubariz has been banned from leaving the country
He was returned from the airport
Journalist Nigar Mubariz has been banned from leaving the country. He was not released from the airport on the morning of May 3 on his way to America. The employees of the border service returned him, stating that his exit was restricted.
Nigar Mubariz said that he should have gone to the United States for education.
During the last 6 months, in addition to arresting journalists and representatives of civil society, many social activists and media representatives have been banned from leaving the country. Among them are the names of young activists Elgiz Kahraman, Murad Rustambayli, employees of the Social Rights Center Ayshan Muradova, Gadir Gadirli and others.
Most of the activists who were not allowed to leave the country were told that their exit from the country was restricted by the decision of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Imran Aliyev, the head of the “Meclis.info” website, which investigates the activities of the Milli Mejlis, was also detained at the airport on April 18 on his way to Turkey, and was handed over to the employees of the Baku City Police Department from the airport. Later, Imran Aliyev was recognized as an accused person in the criminal case related to the “AbzasMedia” publication, and on April 19, an arrest warrant was issued for him in the Khatai District Court.
Since November 2023, about 20 journalists and civil society activists have been arrested as part of criminal cases against the media and civil society. Among them are Ulvi Hasanli, the head of the “AbzasMedia” website known for corruption investigations, Sevinj Vagifqizi (Abbasova), journalists Hafiz Babali, Elnara Gasimova, Nargiz Absalamova, founder of “Toplum TV”, media law expert Alasgar Mammadli, video editor of the channel. Jabbar, Aziz Orujov, head of “Kanal 13” internet television, and Shamo Eminov, an employee of the channel, Anar Mammadli, head of Election Monitoring and Democracy Education Center, which deals with election observation and analysis, Imran Aliyev, head of “Meclis.info” website, Akif Gurbanov, head of Democratic Initiatives Institute. , Ruslan Izzateli, member of the Founding Board of the III Republican Platform and others.
Although the named journalists and social activists were accused in separate criminal cases, all of them were accused of financial smuggling. They are accused of illegally bringing money from abroad to Azerbaijan.
However, none of the journalists and activists claim to be guilty, they say that the criminal cases against them are fake, they are being punished for investigating corruption and criticizing the government.