The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the extension of arrest of colleagues from Azerbaijan

The International Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a statement regarding the extension of prison terms for journalists of the Azerbaijani independent publication Abzas Media.

“We are deeply disappointed that the Azerbaijani authorities have once again extended the unjustified arrest of six Abzas Media journalists, and consider the charges brought against them to be retaliation for critical reporting,” said Gulnoza Said, CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator.

The detention was extended for the director of the publication Ulvi Hasanli, chief editor Sevinj Vagifkizi, project manager Muhammad Kekalov, journalists Nargiz Absalamova, Hafiz Babali and Elnara Gasymova. They were all accused of currency smuggling, which refers to receiving grants from foreign entities. Abzas Media employees are among 11 journalists from four independent media outlets currently in prison in Azerbaijan on similar charges.

“Azerbaijani authorities must immediately release all those arrested on similar charges. Journalists should not become victims of diplomatic clashes between Azerbaijan and the West,” the CPJ statement said.

Earlier, international organizations, including the US State Department, called on the Azerbaijani authorities to release the unjustly arrested press representatives. In addition, the National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF) of Azerbaijan condemned the massive repression of independent media.

Последние новости
Saakashvili calls for closing Georgia's border with Russia over plague reports
Politics
Saakashvili calls for closing Georgia's border with Russia over plague reports
7 October 2026

Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has urged the country's authorities to close the border with Russia and ban Russian citizens from entering. He outlined his position on Facebook from custody, commenting on reports regarding the death of an employee at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute.
Keys to 52 new homes handed to Dagestan flood victims
Society
Keys to 52 new homes handed to Dagestan flood victims
6 October 2026

On October 6, in the settlement of Mamedkala in Dagestan’s Derbent District, keys to 52 new homes were handed to families who had lost their housing due to spring flooding. The ceremony was attended by Yana Lantratova, Russia’s Commissioner for Human Rights, and Fedor Shchukin, the Acting Head of the Republic.
Sixteen imprisoned female journalists from Russia and Ukraine receive Politkovskaya Award
Human rights
Sixteen imprisoned female journalists from Russia and Ukraine receive Politkovskaya Award
6 October 2026

The Anna Politkovskaya Award has this year been given to 11 Russian and five Ukrainian female journalists who are imprisoned in Russia and in the occupied territories of Ukraine.

 

According to the award’s founder, the international organisation RAW in WAR (Reach All Women in WAR), the nominations committee praised the “courage and integrity” of the laureates, who “risk their freedom and even their lives to report on the war and speak out against human rights violations, war crimes and the escalating repression of journalists, human rights defenders and anti-war activists in Russia”.
Lawmakers from the ruling and opposition parties clashed in the Armenian parliament
Politics
Lawmakers from the ruling and opposition parties clashed in the Armenian parliament
6 October 2026

A scuffle broke out in the National Assembly of Armenia on October 6 between MPs from the ruling "Civil Contract" party and the opposition "Strong Armenia" bloc.