BAKU: An Azerbaijani court on Monday sentenced the co-founders of independent online broadcaster Toplum TV, three journalists, and four activists to prison terms of up to 15 years on financial crime charges, drawing renewed international concern over media freedom in the South Caucasus.
According to defense lawyers, Akif Gurbanov, who co-founded Toplum TV in 2016, received a 15-year prison sentence, while co-founder Alasgar Mammadli was sentenced to 14 years. The remaining defendants also received lengthy jail terms.
All nine defendants denied the allegations, describing the charges as politically motivated. Their legal teams said they would appeal the verdicts, arguing that the trial was unfair and failed to meet basic judicial standards.
“We will file an appeal. The trial as a whole was unfair,” defense lawyer Elchin Sadigov, who represents journalist Elmir Abbasov, told Reuters. He said none of the defense’s motions were accepted and the proceedings were conducted in a one-sided manner.
Toplum TV is among the few remaining independent media outlets in Azerbaijan, reporting on politics, corruption, human rights, and social issues.
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Authorities raided the broadcaster’s offices and several other locations in Baku in March 2024, detaining employees and associates. Prosecutors initially accused them of smuggling before expanding the case to include illegal entrepreneurship, money laundering, tax evasion, and document forgery.
The Azerbaijani government has consistently rejected claims that journalists are being prosecuted for political reasons, insisting that the cases are based on criminal investigations.
The convictions come amid growing international scrutiny of Azerbaijan’s treatment of independent media. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked the country 171st out of 180 nations in its 2026 World Press Freedom Index, a decline from 167th the previous year.
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Following the 2024 raids, the U.S. State Department said it was deeply concerned by the arrests linked to Toplum TV and urged Azerbaijan to end the harassment of journalists and others exercising their fundamental freedoms.
The case is expected to remain under international attention as appeals proceed and rights organizations continue to raise concerns over press freedom and judicial independence in Azerbaijan.
