Azerbaijan: Unlawfully Detained Women Journalists Face Sexual Violence amidst On-going Crackdown on Civil Society

Umudova’s letter describes her arbitrary detention in connection with the so-called “Meydan TV case”, three-hour long transfer to Baku, denial of timely access to legal and medical assistance, and degrading conditions of detention. During transportation, while experiencing a panic attack and in a state of acute vulnerability, she reported having been subjected to an “unwanted physical contact”, constituting sexual harassment according to Article 40 of the Council of Europe Istanbul Convention, by a police officer sitting next to her in a police car, an incident she clearly resisted, and which has had lasting psychological consequences. Upon arrival at the Baku City Police Department, she was further subjected to intimidation and coercion, including threats related to unlocking her phone, before being taken to the investigator. Umudova has stated that it took her approximately one year to stabilise and bring herself to publicly disclose the psychological impact of these events, which continue to affect her well-being.

These allegations are similar to the case of a journalist and human rights defender, Ulviyya (Ali) Guliyeva, who has faced sustained harassment in connection with the same so-called “Meydan TV case”. Since early 2025, she has been repeatedly summoned for questioning, subjected to an unlawful travel ban, and ultimately detained on 6 May 2025. While in police custody, she reported being subjected to beatings and explicit rape threats by a police officer aimed at forcing her to disclose passwords to her electronic devices. Her apartment was searched in the absence of a lawyer, and evidence allegedly discovered during that search was later used against her in criminal proceedings. Following that treatment, she submitted contemporaneous handwritten complaints to her lawyer and the authorities. Thereafter, she described ongoing symptoms such as severe headaches, vomiting, dizziness, and fainting, which also aggravated her pre-existing mental health condition. Despite the seriousness of these allegations and the clear risk of long-term harm, the authorities have refused to order an independent forensic examination or provide adequate medical care.

These events unfolded in relation to the “Meydan TV case”, under which on 6 December 2024 six journalists, including Aysel Umudova, and the head of Baku Journalism School were arrested and then remanded in custody on 8 December 2024 by the Baku City Khatai District Court. Under the same case, three other journalists were arrested on 5 February, 21 February, and 1 March 2025, and Ulviyya (Ali) Guliyeva was arrested on 6 May 2025.

As the next hearing in the so-called “Meydan TV case” is scheduled for 6 February 2026 before the Baku Grave Crimes Court, these credible and consistent allegations raise serious concerns. In the continued absence of any effective, independent investigation, they call into question whether Azerbaijan’s judicial and investigative authorities will fulfil their duties to take prompt, meaningful, and independent accountability measures in response to such grave violations of fundamental rights and human dignity.

Aysel Umudova and Ulviyya (Ali) Guliyeva, along with their journalist colleagues arrested and still remaining in custody in connection with the so-called “Meydan TV case”, have been charged under multiple provisions of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, including illegal entrepreneurship and smuggling carried out by an organised group. These charges, which are widely regarded by independent observers as fabricated and politically motivated, have been systematically used against dozens of other journalists and civil society members in Azerbaijan over the past two years.

The beatings, rape threats and sexual harassment against Guliyeva and Umudova constitute sexual and gender-based violence and the treatment they experienced violates the prohibition of torture and of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. The authorities’ failure to investigate allegations of sexual harassment, sexual violence, and ill-treatment, together with their disregard of multiple requests for timely medical care and their failure to ensure independent investigations, constitutes a clear breach of their duty to prevent, investigate, and punish ill-treatment and sexual violence against women, contrary to Azerbaijan’s Constitution and other domestic law, as well as the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the Convention Against Torture (CAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), all ratified by Azerbaijan.

The cases of Aysel Umudova and Ulviyya (Ali) Guliyeva indicate a deeply troubling pattern within the broader context of politically motivated prosecutions in Azerbaijan, in which punitive pre-trial detention and sexual violence appear to be used as instruments to intimidate, silence, and punish human rights defenders and independent women journalists in Azerbaijan.

We call on the authorities of Azerbaijan to:

• Immediately and unconditionally release Ulviyya Guliyeva and Aysel Umudova and drop all politically motivated charges against them and other political prisoners;

• Conduct independent, impartial, prompt, and effective investigations into allegations of torture, ill-treatment, sexual harassment, and other violations, in line with international standards, and ensure accountability for all those responsible;

• Guarantee access to adequate, independent medical care, including specialist examinations, for both journalists;

• End the judicial harassment of journalists, human rights defenders, and other critical voices in Azerbaijan with abusive criminal prosecutions.

We also urge Azerbaijan’s international partners, including the Council of Europe, the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and relevant United Nations bodies and Special Procedures, to:

• Publicly condemn the arbitrary detention and sexual harassment of Ulviyya Guliyeva and Aysel Umudova and other political prisoners cases;

• Raise their cases at the highest political levels;

• Closely monitor court proceedings and detention conditions; and

• Ensure that concrete and measurable progress in ending the crackdown on independent media and ensuring accountability for torture, ill-treatment and gender-based violence are central in all steps toward developing closer cooperation with Azerbaijan

Signatories:

1. International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Humans Rights Defenders
2. World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
3. Human Rights House Foundation
4. Independent Lawyers Network (ILN)
5. Amnesty International
6. ARTICLE 19 Europe
7. Campaign to End Repression in Azerbaijan
8. Cupidae Legum Initiative
9. International Partnership for Human Rights