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Sabina Abubakirova
13 Posts
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Sabina moved to Georgia from Azerbaijan to dedicate herself fully to independent journalism. In Azerbaijan, she gained 5 years of experience in journalism, PR management and SMM. As a staff writer co
Aliyev and Pashinyan mark ‘red lines’ in interviews with RIA Novosti
Armenia

Aliyev and Pashinyan mark ‘red lines’ in interviews with RIA Novosti

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Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime minister Nikol Pashinyan have outlined the ‘red lines’ for each country in a pair of interviews with RIA Novosti. The two leaders were asked identical questions in separate interviews with the Russian state-owned news agency. Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan ‘will never recognise the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh’.  ‘Under no circumstances can the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan be violated, under no circumstances will Azerbaijan ag

Giyas Ibrahimov and Narmin Shahmarzade.
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani peace activists called for questioning

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Azerbaijani peace activists Narmin Shahmarzade and Giyas Ibrahimov have reported that they have been called to the Prosecutor’s Office for questioning.  Narmin Shahmarzade wrote on Facebook on Tuesday afternoon that Giyas Ibrahimov was ‘taken away by a car’ and that she was notified by phone to present herself at a police station.  Four hours later, Ibrahimov posted a picture of a document summoning him to the Prosecutor’s Office. ‘They called me again. I wonder whom we offended now.

Tofig Yagublu in hospital while on hunger strike. Photo via Meydan TV.
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani court transfers opposition leader Tofig Yagublu to house arrest

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The Baku Court of Appeal has transferred opposition leader Tofig Yagublu, who was on his 17th day of hunger strike against his conviction, to house arrest, his lawyer reports. The court announced the decision on Friday after previously insisting his appeal would not be heard until 28 September. One of Yagublu’s lawyers, Elchin Sadigov, told journalists that the court did not consider his conviction and that this would be considered as scheduled on 28 September.   Yagublu’s son-in-law, Se

A demonstration in Toronto, Canada, in support of Tofig Yagublu. Image via Meydan TV.
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijanis from Baku to Berlin are demanding freedom for Tofig Yagublu 

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The arrest, conviction, and subsequent hunger strike of Tofig Yagublu has resonated with many Azerbaijanis both inside Azerbaijan and abroad. ‘I went to the protest because it was about a patriotic man who was unjustly arrested — to show that I believe that he’s innocent. It is unacceptable that he stays [in prison] even a day’, Tural Nuru tells OC Media. Tural is not currently a member of any political party in Azerbaijan, but on 9 September, he was among dozens of people to protest in Baku

Tofig Yagublu. Image via Nigar Hezi.
Azerbaijan

Imprisoned opposition leader Tofig Yagublu hospitalised over hunger strike

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Convicted Azerbaijani opposition leader Tofig Yagublu has been moved to a private hospital in Baku after falling into critical condition. The Musavat party member, who is on his 13th day of hunger strike, was delivered from prison to the private City Hospital in Baku on Saturday.  His daughter, Nigar Hazi, reported on Sunday that her father had been transferred to intensive care. On Monday, she said he had been returned to an ordinary ward and that two representatives of the Human Rights Com

Colony 13. Photo via Meydan TV
Azerbaijan

Colony 13: Coronavirus in an Azerbaijani prison

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Colony 13 is currently gripped by a COVID-19 epidemic. While Azerbaijani officials claim that there are only several dozen cases, relatives of inmates describe nothing less than a plague.  Colony 13, in Baku’s Garadagh District according to Azerbaijani officials is one of the prisons hardest hit by the COVID-19 outbreak. On 15 May, government authorities confirmed that it had 33 cases, out of the total 46 in Azerbaijan’s prison system.   The Azerbaijani government did not provide subsequent