Ulviyya Ali faces a ban on meeting with her lawyer.

Journalist Ulviya Ali, arrested in Baku, was denied access to a lawyer after resisting a body search, her mother said.

As reported by the Caucasian Knot, journalist Ulviya Ali (Guliyeva) was questioned in January as a witness in the Meydan TV case, after which she was banned from leaving Azerbaijan. In April, a Baku court dismissed the journalist's appeal against this decision, and in May, she was detained and remanded in custody as a defendant in the Meydan TV case. She denied the smuggling charge and stated that she does not work for the outlet. Ali was taken to the detention center after being beaten by security forces, where her condition worsened significantly. In July, the court remanded her in custody.

Journalist Ulviya Ali (Guliyeva) was denied a meeting with her lawyer on November 3, her mother, Ilhama Mehmanli, told Meydan TV.

According to Mehmanli, the reason for the denial was the journalist's objection to being searched before meeting with her lawyer. Ulviya Ali had previously been searched while on her way to meet with her lawyer, but this time she objected, Mehmanli said.

Mehmanli suspected that her daughter had encountered biased treatment from prison management. "When Ulviyeh went to meet with her lawyer, they wanted to search her again. Ulviyeh objected. Therefore, she was not allowed to meet with her lawyer," the publication quotes her as saying today.

The Penitentiary Service has not yet made a statement regarding the statements of Ulviyeh Ali's mother, the publication notes.

14:32 31.10.2025

Serial Arrests of Journalists in Azerbaijan

Since November 2023, a series of arrests of journalists from independent media outlets has taken place in Azerbaijan, and several criminal cases have been opened under a similar scenario. The "Caucasian Knot" report details what led to the new wave of repression against the independent press.

As a reminder, the Meydan TV case was opened in December 2024, when six journalists were detained, then arrested, and charged with currency smuggling by a group of individuals in a prior conspiracy. They linked the criminal case to their professional activities. By August 2025, 11 people had been arrested in the Meydan TV case. 1 . At the end of August, it was announced that the investigation had been completed, and a 12th suspect, photojournalist Akhmed Mukhtar, had appeared in the case. Meanwhile, the arrested journalists were charged with seven additional criminal offenses. 2 .

Journalists from other media outlets, including Toplum TV, Abzas Media, and Kanal-13, have also been persecuted in Azerbaijan. On June 20, journalists and employees of Abzas Media were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 7.5 to 9 years. In court, they denied the charges, emphasizing that they were being persecuted for their professional activities and for investigating corruption.

The number of political prisoners in Azerbaijan reached its highest point in 2024 since the country's 23-year membership in the Council of Europe, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "Key Points on the Record Number of Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan." At the same time, the Azerbaijani authorities deny the existence of political prisoners in the country.