Azerbaijan has long been considered an authoritarian regime. For many years, the press has been restricted. But the 2022 “On Media” Law finally bans independent journalism. Anyone who doesn’t work for a media outlet that’s registered with the state can’t do journalistic activities. Those who disobey face long prison sentences or are forced to stop their journalistic activity by other means. But some journalists are standing up to this.
Azerbaijan is one of the most restrictive regimes in the world when it comes to media freedom. According to RSF, the country ranks 167th out of 180. However, its ranking is getting worse every year. For the past 20 years, no official or police officer has ever been sanctioned for hitting or insulting a journalist. Since 2023, 23 journalists and two media workers have been imprisoned and are still in jail. To bring journalists who have left the country back under control, the Baku regime is harassing their relatives and friends who have remained in the homeland or even threatening them directly at their place of exile.
One of the journalists in exile is Parvana Gurbanli. In this interview, she talks about how she experienced a police raid as a consequence of her work with independent media and why Europe pays little attention to Azerbaijan.
On the evening of March 6, the police in Baku raided the office of the media outlet Toplum TV and its partner organisation Institute of Democratic Initiatives. The Toplum TV YouTube account was also hacked, and its content was deleted. How did you personally experience this police raid, and what happened afterwards?
On March 6, we were on our lunch break. Suddenly, the kitchen door opened and police officers in black masks entered. At that moment, I realised — yes, now it’s our turn. They immediately took our mobile phones, escorted us out of the kitchen, and brought us to the main editorial room where they had gathered our other colleagues. There, I noticed handcuffs on the wrists of our male coworkers. The police were treating us like serious criminals. They confiscated all the laptops in the newsroom. Some of them were personal. This included my laptop. They also confiscated the cameras.
That same day, they also seized Toplum TV’s YouTube channel and deleted all our video materials and broadcasts. Afterward, we were taken to the Main Police Department of the capital. There, we were held under pressure and interrogated individually. They demanded the password to my phone, and when I refused, they threatened and insulted me. Their main goal was to force a statement from me against the leadership of Toplum TV. They specifically asked questions about the TV channel’s sources of funding. Even though I repeatedly said, “I don’t know,” different people kept entering the room and asking the same questions again. Eventually, after nearly 9 hours of detention, they put us in a police car and released us.
With the arrest of the Toplum TV team, your outlet joins a group of media outlets targeted by the authorities — first Abzas Media, then Kanal 13, and then Toplum TV. Did you anticipate such a raid? And if so, how does a journalist prepare for such a situation in such a tense media environment?
Of course, this raid was expected. We were one of the few remaining independent media outlets in the country and were always under scrutiny. We broadcasted live several times a day. We produced programmes on social, economic, human rights, and other critical issues.
Although we anticipated something like this could happen one day, we still showed up for work every day, continuing to produce programmes and reports. About two months before the raid, I realised I was being followed by police. I knew they were trying to pressure me psychologically to quit. But naturally, their plan didn’t work. Is it easy to work under such pressure? Of course not. You’re trying to do your job, while independent media in the country is shrinking, your colleagues are in prison, and there’s a constant atmosphere of fear being created.
Shortly before the raid on Toplum TV, the German broadcaster SWR aired a documentary on corruption in Azerbaijan’s national gas and oil sector. The report highlighted the EU’s plan to double its gas imports from Azerbaijan by 2027 to replace Russian supplies. In that documentary, Toplum TV editor-in-chief Khadija Ismayilova also gave an interview. To what extent do you think these events are connected, if at all?
I don’t think this is the only reason, but it may be one of the reasons. Toplum TV used to go live on YouTube every day, hosting independent experts. If there was a problem in a remote city, we would immediately prepare a report from that area. We tried to be the voice of ordinary people. At the same time, we were exposing corruption involving high-ranking officials in the country.
Naturally, the authorities were not happy about this because they don’t want problems to be exposed.
In February 2022, President Ilham Aliyev signed the “On Media” law. The law provides for a state-run media register of media companies and journalists. There is also a press card issued by the government, which is only issued to registered journalists. How does the law affect you and your work as a freelance journalist?
If I were in Azerbaijan now, continuing to work as an independent journalist would be seriously hindered by the newly adopted law. According to the law, only employees of registered media outlets can receive a journalist ID.
For those not in the registry, almost all doors are closed. The registry allows the government to increase its control over journalists’ work, and the risk of censorship or self-censorship has grown. The government is creating an environment in which only media outlets that praise it can operate.
The 2022 measures also specifically target exile journalists, labeling them as unregistered and therefore illegal. By blocking channels of exile media outlets, their content is made inaccessible inside Azerbaijan. What options do journalists in exile still have to report on the country and for the readers who are still in Azerbaijan?
As it stands, I can continue my journalistic work in exile through our news website. Naturally, if I were in Azerbaijan right now, I would probably be in prison. At best, due to a criminal case filed against me, it would be impossible to continue working.
Do you continue to face pressure or sanctions as a journalist in exile? Does the Azerbaijani government try to restrict your work from abroad?
One of the pressures I face now is that the police call the home where my family lives, asking about me. It’s not just me they’re targeting, they’re trying to restrict the operation of our website. Because we currently have no staff in Azerbaijan.
If there’s an issue somewhere, we don’t have a reporter we can send to the area to conduct interviews. Because any journalist who tries would likely be arrested within an hour.
As a member of the Council of Europe and the OSCE, Azerbaijan is repeatedly violating its commitments. Yet it remains a key energy partner for the EU, especially in light of the shift away from Russian gas and general distancing of Aliyev from Putin. Do you believe these economic ties prevent stronger international condemnation of Azerbaijan’s repression of press freedom?
This issue is currently a serious topic of discussion within Azerbaijani civil society as well. Independent experts also believe that the Council of Europe and other relevant organisations are applying double standards. For instance, in recent years, the human rights situation in Georgia has also worsened. However, these organisations take a harsher stance toward Georgia, impose sanctions, and even consider abolishing the visa regime.
Meanwhile, the situation in Azerbaijan is far worse: there are over 30 jailed journalists and more than 300 political prisoners. Yet Azerbaijan does not face such sanctions or harsh criticism. Many believe the only reason is Europe’s dependency on Azerbaijani gas.
Are there communities of exiled Azerbaijani journalists that you’re connected to? And do you see signs of international solidarity in response to the current situation in Azerbaijan?
Yes, we are in contact with other journalists in exile. Most independent journalists from Azerbaijan are either in prison or have been forced to leave the country. The majority are now in Germany, continuing their work here.
As for support, most of it comes from international media organisations. But I would really like to see these organisations have real influence on powerful institutions like the Council of Europe.
After the raid on Toplum TV, you were forced to leave Azerbaijan. Your reporting focuses on women’s rights, LGBTQ+ issues, and peacebuilding. All highly sensitive topics in the region. What motivated you to continue your work as a reporting journalist after such a severe setback?
You know, this topic is very sensitive for me. Many of my colleagues were imprisoned simply for doing their jobs and reporting the truth. I feel it is my duty to continue their unfinished work. This is also a profession I love. And anyway, no truly independent media remains active in Azerbaijan today. Those that do operate are doing so with limited staff from abroad. Although it’s psychologically and otherwise difficult, I see continuing this work as both a moral and professional responsibility.
Is there anything you’d like to share with the international community about your colleagues who are currently imprisoned? What can be done to support them?
Year by year, Azerbaijan is falling further behind in media freedom rankings. All independent media outlets in the country have faced repression, and most of their staff have been imprisoned. Only a few continue working in exile. The situation is becoming increasingly dire. To support them, frequent public statements could be made, perhaps letters can be written. It’s possible to launch solidarity campaigns among journalists from different countries.
For those in prison, every word and sign of support from the outside world means a lot.
