The international media protection organization Reporters Without Borders again criticized the Azerbaijani authorities for repression against media representatives. We are talking about the arrest of Toplum TV employees on charges of currency smuggling.

“This is a well-known excuse that was already used against Absas Media journalists in November 2023. Representatives of this media outlet accused the police of deliberately planting money on them in order to arrest them. The government's goal is clear: to isolate civil society and suppress any dissent. President Ilham Aliyev is destroying all forms of pluralism,” said Jeanne Cavelier, head of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia department of Reporters Without Borders. The organization called on Azerbaijan's partners to stop turning a blind eye to the sharp deterioration of the situation with press freedom.

Since the end of last year, there have been repressions against independent journalists and activists from Abzas Media in Azerbaijan. They were accused of smuggling foreign currency. They deny the charges and believe they are being persecuted for investigating corruption.

Two journalists from the independent Internet television channel Channel 13 and four representatives of Toplum TV were also arrested. All were accused of currency smuggling.

International human rights and media organizations condemned the Azerbaijani authorities and demanded the release of media workers.