The following is based on a communication sent by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and other UN experts to the Government of Azerbaijan on 23 February 2026. The communication remained confidential for 60 days before being made public, giving the Government and the company time to reply. As of the time of publishing this communication, no response had been received. If one is received, it will be made public on the Special Procedures communications database.
On 3 April 2026, the Azerbaijan Supreme Court upheld the prison sentences against the three journalists and women human rights defenders. Along with other journalists convicted in the case, the three women human rights defenders planned to file a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights.
What follows is a shortened version of the communication.
BACKGROUND
Topic: the conditions of detention, sentencing and transfer of journalists and women human rights defenders Sevinj Abbasova, Nargiz Absalamova and Elnara Gasimova.
Ms. Sevinj Abbasova, Ms. Nargiz Absalamova and Ms. Elnara Gasimova are journalists and women human rights defenders, who have highlighted cases of corruption in their journalistic work. They have investigated cases of high-level corruption, abuse of power, covered grassroots human rights protests and environmental issues. They previously worked with the media outlet Abzas Media. Abzas Media is an independent Azerbaijani investigative media outlet known for in depth reporting on corruption, governance, and social justice issues.
The cases of Ms. Abbasova, Ms. Absalamova and Ms. Gasimova were previously raised by Special Procedures mandate holders in AZE 1/2024 dated 16 May 2024. We thank the response of Your Excellency’s Government, dated 15 July 2024, including the updates about the conditions of detention. However, concerns remain about their sentencing and the conditions of their detention.
ALLEGATIONS
Conditions in the Baku pre-trial detention centre
From late 2023 to September 2025, the three women were held in the Baku pretrial detention centre (Kurdakhani). They have reported being held in inhumane conditions, including being held in cells with unsatisfactory ventilation; with water leaking from the ceiling and walls. During the summer, the journalists were denied access to fans, which was granted to other prisoners. Access to hot water is irregular, and shower facilities are reportedly often broken or filthy.
In March 2025, Nargiz Absalamova reported being injured by detention staff, including an incident in which a supervisor/guard scratched her arm during a forced movement.
In July 2025, Ms. Abbasova, Ms. Absalamova and Ms. Gasimova started a hunger strike, in solidarity with the Abzas Media director, who was transferred to the remote Umbaki prison, demanding his return to Baku. On 22 July 2025, in response to their hunger strike, the prison administration reportedly moved the three women from their regular cells and placed them in solitary confinement cells. These isolated rooms lacked shovers, ventilation or open windows.
Sentencing in June 2025
On 20 June 2025, the women journalists and human rights defenders were sentenced by the Baku Court on Grave Crimes. Ms. Abbasova was found guilty on financial crime charges (currency smuggling, tax evasion as part of a group and other economic charges) and sentenced to 9 years of imprisonment. Ms. Absalamova was sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment on the same set of charges, similarly to Ms. Gasimova, who was sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment.
9 September 2025, the Baku Court of Appeal, chaired by Judge Zafar Ahmadov, upheld the convictions and sentences in the “Abzas Media” case, including the sentences of the three female journalists.
Transfer to Lankaran
On 25 September 2025, following their sentencing and unsuccessful appeal, Ms. Absalamova, Ms. Abbasova and Ms. Gasimova were transferred to Lankaran prison in the village of Gurumba. The women were only informed about their transfer an hour before departure and were reportedly not told of their destination until they arrived at Lankaran. The Gurumba facility is located 250 km south of Baku. This distance imposes a significant financial and logistical burden on their families and legal teams.
Before the transfer, reportedly almost all of Ms. Absalamova’s personal belongings were stolen, including clothes, shoes, medicine and hygiene products. Female visitors to the three journalists have been reportedly subjected to sexual harassment by prison guards.
CONCERNS
In the communication, we express our concern about the allegations of inhuman and degrading treatment in pre-trial detention; the sentencing on what appear to be politically motivated charges linked to their independent reporting work; and their transfer to a remote prison complex.
Additionally, we are also concerned about the alleged smear campaign against the Abzas Media journalists, which appears to be aimed at discrediting journalistic and human rights defenders’ anti-corruption work.
We note with concern that this case is prone to have a chilling effect on human rights defenders and journalists in Azerbaijan, especially those working against corruption, discouraging them from exercising their rights.
