Anar Orujov, took to his social media to announce the detainment of his brother, Aziz Orujov, the director of “Kanal 13” internet television.
The situation escalated when a search warrant was issued by the Sabail District Court, prompting a thorough search of Aziz Orujov’s residence. The search, initiated around 18:00 on November 27, was confirmed by his legal representative, Bahruz Bayramov.
Bayramov, in conversation with Meydan TV, confirmed the arrival of officials mandated by the court order. However, the rationale behind the search remains ambiguous. “Nothing is known about the reason for the search,” Bayramov expressed, raising further questions about the motives behind these actions.
This incident isn’t Aziz Orujov’s first encounter with legal repercussions. Back in May 2017, he faced 30 days of administrative detention, swiftly followed by the initiation of a criminal case on June 1 of the same year. The charges against him were rooted in allegations of illegal entrepreneurship and the abuse of official powers, resulting in a six-year prison sentence. However, a pivotal decision by the Supreme Court in April 2018 granted him conditional release.
Aziz Orujov vehemently denies these allegations, attributing the legal actions against him and his internet television platform to their critical stance towards certain activities of the government. He strongly denies the allegations and claims that there are political reasons behind the current unrest.
As the situation unfolds, together with the AbsazMedia case, concerns regarding press freedom and the exercise of civil liberties in Azerbaijan continue to grow.
