Shamshad Islam oglu Agayev (Shamshad Aga)

Shamshad Islam oglu Agayev (Shamshad Aga) – Editor-in-Chief of the arqument.az news website Date of arrest: 5 February 2025 Charge: Article 206.3.2 (Smuggling, is moving large amount through customs border of the Republic of Azerbaijan of goods or other subjects, committed on preliminary arrangement by group of persons) of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic.

On 6 February 2025, the Baku City Khatai District Court issued a ruling: to apply a preventive measure against Shamshad Agayev in the form of arrest for a period of 2 months and 1 day.

The period of detention in custody during the investigation has been subsequently extended times Place of detention: Pre-trial Detention Center № 1 at the Kyurdakhani settlement in Baku City Sabunchu District Conclusion: Shamshad Agayev, the Editor-in-Chief of the Arqument.az news website and freelancer of Meydan TV, who is known in the republic under the name ‘Shamshad Aga’, was questioned as a witness in the case of Toplum TV on 5 July 2024, after which he was verbally informed about the ban on leaving Azerbaijan.

Seven months later, on the night of 5 February 2025, Sh.

Agayev was again detained, but that time in connection with the case of Meydan TV journalists who were arrested on 6 December 2024.

As his brother, Shahid Agayev, told the journalists, "Around 2 a.m., an investigator knocked at our door, escorted by 7-8 masked police officers.

When we opened the door, they burst into the house and started to search it.

They confiscated Shamshad's old phone, as well as mine, the memory cards, some old discs, a computer along with its modem and Shamshad's press card.

Then they drew up a protocol.

Shamshad only mentioned that he had been detained without clarifying what exactly he had been accused for." As Shahla Humbatova, a lawyer, told the reporters – the journalist had been detained as a suspect in Meydan TV case and faced the same charge of ‘smuggling by a prior conspiracy of individuals.

Humbatova further pointed out that the journalist hadn't pleaded guilty at the trial, labelling the accusation as slander and denied any criminal activity incriminated against him.

Moreover, according to the defence lawyer, ‘We required the investigation to provide provisional evidence confirming the journalist's involvement in smuggling.

But it turned out that no evidence had been submitted at all to the Court’.

The journalist denied the charges against him, declaring that the arrest had to do with his journalistic activities. 29