Reporters Without Borders welcomed the decision of a jury in Rennes, France, which on June 10 handed down verdicts in the case of the assassination attempt on Azerbaijani blogger and political émigré Muhammad Mirzali. According to RSF, the French justice system has drawn a "red line" against attempts by authoritarian regimes to persecute their critics abroad.
The defendants in the case received sentences of up to 30 years in prison. The court noted not only the gravity of the attack itself but also its political nature. RSF noted that this was not simply an act of violence against one person, but an attempt to intimidate those who oppose the Azerbaijani authorities.
Mirzali, a refugee living in France, was attacked with a knife in Nantes in the spring of 2021. After this, he was provided with police protection. RSF calls it one of the most well-known examples of so-called transnational repression—a practice in which authorities persecute journalists, bloggers, activists, and opposition figures even after they have left the country.
According to the organization, during his years in exile, Mirzali received numerous threats, survived several assassination attempts, faced judicial pressure, and his relatives in Azerbaijan were persecuted. RSF, according to the report, has documents attesting to threats against his family members and attempts at blackmail.
The report emphasizes that the Rennes trial has become one of the most high-profile trials of transnational repression in France. During the trial, the prosecutor's office directly linked the attack on the blogger to a broader system of pressure on critics of the Azerbaijani authorities abroad.
"This decision is a direct warning to those who consider themselves entitled to persecute journalists in Europe, threaten them, or attempt to silence them." "It reminds us that French justice can deliver a firm response to attempts to use physical violence for transnational repression, and that no state has the right to extend its repressive practices beyond its own borders. This verdict should also be a turning point for the entire European Union. Transnational repression is no longer isolated incidents, but a direct threat to the safety of journalists and the rule of law. A firm and coordinated response at the EU level is necessary to prevent such operations in the future," stated Jeanne Cavelier, Head of Eastern Europe and Central Asia at Reporters Without Borders.
The organization notes that Azerbaijan is among the states that most frequently resort to such methods, along with Russia, Belarus, Iran, and China. However, official Baku previously denied any involvement in the attack on Mirzali and accused Reporters Without Borders of bias.
RSF also emphasizes that the trial took place against a backdrop of ongoing pressure on the independent press within Azerbaijan. According to the organization, journalists and staff of Toplum TV face lengthy prison terms. Azerbaijan ranks 171st out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders' 2026 World Press Freedom Index.
