Azerbaijan Sentences Nine Toplum TV Journalists to 12–15 Years on Financial Crime Charges

An Azerbaijani court in Baku has sentenced nine journalists and founders of Toplum TV, an independent online news outlet, to prison terms ranging from 12 to 15 years on charges of financial crimes and illegal receipt of Western donor funds. The two co-founders, Akif Gurbanov and Ruslan Izzetli, each received 15-year sentences, while founder Alasgar Mammadli received 14 years. Other staff members—video editor Mushfig Jabbarov, project coordinators Ilkin Amrakhov and Ramil Babayev, trainer Ali Zeinalov, reporter Farid Ismailov, and social media manager Elmir Abbasov—received sentences between 12 and 14 years. The accused were convicted of forming an "organized criminal group" and illegally receiving foreign donor funding, charges they denied.

Toplum TV was one of Azerbaijan's last major independent news outlets, known for investigations into official corruption, economic conditions, and social problems. Police raided its offices in March 2024 and arrested most of its staff. The outlet continues to operate with a different editorial team and maintains a YouTube channel with approximately 100,000 subscribers. Alasgar Mammadli, described as a prominent media law expert in Azerbaijan, is reportedly in poor health.

International media rights organizations have denounced the verdict as politically motivated. The European and International Federations of Journalists called the sentences "extremely harsh" and stated the verdict confirms "the political nature of the trial." Reporters Without Borders characterized the trial as bogus and said it demonstrates how the Azerbaijani justice system is being "brought to heel" to silence independent media. The lawyer for some defendants, Elchin Sadigov, told the Associated Press that the court did not grant a single defense motion and announced plans to appeal.

The convictions are part of a broader crackdown on independent journalism in Azerbaijan under President Ilham Aliyev. In June 2025, seven journalists from other outlets—including Abzas Media, which reported on presidential business interests, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty—received sentences of 7.5 to 9 years. Azerbaijan adopted a media law two years before the Toplum TV trial that completely prohibits foreign financing of press outlets, which has been used to charge journalists with money smuggling and related financial crimes.

President Aliyev has justified restrictions on foreign-funded media by stating in 2024 that "Azerbaijani media cannot be financed by a foreign source even one percent," and arguing that foreign news organizations transmit propaganda against Azerbaijan. In early 2025, Azerbaijan expelled major United Nations structures, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and bureaus of several foreign media organizations, including the BBC's Azerbaijani service. The government has also ceased compliance with European Court of Human Rights decisions and has signaled potential withdrawal from the Council of Europe.