Sevinj Vaqif qizi Abbasova – Editor-in-chief of the Abzas Media, an online Azerbaijani media outlet Date of arrest: 21 November 2023 Charge: Article 206.4 (Smuggling, committed by the organized group) of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic. On 7 August, 2024, the accused were brought additional charges under the Articles 192.3.2 (Illegal business, committed with gaining an extra large-scale income); 193-1.3.1 (Legalization of money or other property obtained by crime, committed by an organized group or a criminal organization (criminal association); 193-1.3.2 (Legalization of money or other property obtained by crime, committed in large amount); 213.2.1 (Evasion from payment of taxes, committed by the organized group); 320.1 (Fake of certificate or other official document giving the rights or releasing from duties, with a view of its use or selling of such document, as well as manufacturing in same purposes or selling of counterfeit state awards of the Azerbaijan Republic, stamps, seals, forms) and 320.2 (Use of obviously counterfeit documents) of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic. On 21 November 2023, the Baku City Khatai District Court issued a ruling: to apply a preventive measure against Sevinj Abbasova in the form of arrest for a period of 3 months and 29 days. The period of detention in custody during the investigation has been subsequently extended several times Sentence: On 20 June 2025, the Baku City Court for Serious Crimes sentenced to 9 years in prison Judge: Rasim Sadikhov Penal of detention: Penal Colony at the Qurumba village in Lankaran District Conclusion: Sevinj Abbasova, a well-known journalist in Azerbaijan, has recently been investigating the corruption on the part of high-ranking Azerbaijani officials, therefore she had been repeatedly subjected to persecution. When she was at Ankara airport waiting for her flight to Baku, her friends made a video that showed her talking with someone, who urged her not to return to Azerbaijan. “I couldn’t bear to live abroad, while Ulvi (Hasanli) is in jail. It would be like living in jail for me. I would rather die in Azerbaijan, instead of having a heart attack in Paris,” she said. And indeed, according to activists who were on the same flight with Sevinj Abbasova, she was detained immediately upon arrival in Baku airport. Police didn’t allow Sevinj Abbasova to pass passport control, taking her directly to the Baku City General Police Department. Also, her house was searched. According to her lawyer, Elchin Sadigov, there were no four any illegal items during the search. Sevinj Abbasova believes that the persecution is related to her journalistic activities and work at the media. 10 On 15 November, 2024, Sevinj Abbasova and Elnara Qasimova protested against the violence to which was subjected Nargiz Absalamova as soon as they found it out. As a result, they were also assaulted by a group of female prisoners on the same day. The information about the pressure on the journalists became public and caused a wide resonance in the society. On 16 November 2024, the journalists' family members were obliged waiting for a meeting with the prisoners for several hours. The journalists were brought to the meeting with their relatives only after their protests and threats to start a hunger strike. Sevinj Abbasova's family members stated that upon their meeting they discovered bruises on her wrist, as well as on her thumb and middle finger. Sevinj Abbasova informed her family members that Nargiz Absalamova and Elnara Qasimova had similar injuries on their bodies. On 9 December 2024, the United States honoured Sevinj Abbasova with the award Anti- Corruption Champions. According to the State Secretary, Anthony Blinken, «Azerbaijani journalist Sevinj Vaqifqizi has devoted more than a decade in exposing government abuses. She’s also the one awardee who is not with us today». He went on to add: «Now, more than a year later, she remains in detention. Prior to her arrest, Sevinj wrote, and I quote: ‘I don’t feel fear anymore. I know what they can do…it does not stop me. It's more important to be useful [for] people…people need us».