Last week, Azerbaijani police arrested the head of independent Youtube news channel Kanal 11 and a prominent investigative journalist in connection with Abzas Media.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both were placed in pre-trial detention from three to four months. Teymur Karimov, director of the channel has been accused of \u201cextortion by threat\u201d, while Hafiz Babali, investigative journalist is on \u201csmuggling of foreign currency\u201d charges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a result, currently the director, deputy director, editor in chief and two journalists from Abzas media are in pre-trial detention. If found guilty, all can face<\/a> up to 8 years jail time. Not only Abzas Media, on 29 November, police also detained Aziz Orujov, the head of another independent Youtube news channel Kanal 13. In comparison to others, Orujov is facing charges of unauthorised construction on land without ownership, use or lease rights. The court ordered him three months in pre-trial detention, if proven guilty, he can be sentenced to three years in prison.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n On 13 December, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued<\/a> another press release regarding the arrests. According to Gulnoza Said, CPJ\u2019s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator, in New York \u201cby arresting widely respected investigative journalist Hafiz Babali, Azerbaijani authorities are only confirming that their real aim in targeting Abzas Media is to silence its uncompromising reporting on official corruption allegations\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n