Babaly faced a refusal to receive medications in the colony.

Investigative journalist Hafiz Babaly, convicted in the Abzas Media case, has not received his prescribed medications in correctional facility No. 2 for a month and a half. The administration of the medical unit explains the interruptions in medication distribution by an unfinished tender for their procurement. The lack of medications violates the rights of the inmate, as providing necessary medications is the state's obligation, noted the human rights defender.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", Abzas Media, founded in 2016, is known for journalistic investigations exposing high-level corruption. In June 2025, a court in Baku found the staff of the online publication Abzas Media guilty of economic crimes. The director of the publication Ulvi Hasanli, editor-in-chief Sevinc Vagifgizi, investigative journalist Hafiz Babaly, and economist Farid Mehralizade were sentenced to nine years in prison, while Nargiz Absalamova and Elnara Gasymova received eight years, and Mohammed Kekalov was sentenced to seven. On April 3, the Supreme Court upheld the sentences for all convicted in the case. International journalism organizations demanded the release of those convicted in the case.

Investigative journalist Hafiz Babaly, serving a prison sentence in the Abzas Media case, complained about the suspension of the distribution of necessary medications, his relatives reported.

"The Main Medical Department of the Ministry of Justice has suspended the distribution of necessary medications to Hafiz Babaly, who is held in correctional facility No. 2. He suffers from varicose veins in his leg and is a third-group disabled person due to vision impairment. However, he has not received the medications prescribed by specialists for a month and a half," a relative of the journalist told a correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot".

According to him, the head of the medical and sanitary unit of IU-2 explains the lack of medications by the fact that the tender for the procurement of medications for penitentiary institutions has not yet been completed.

"Hafiz Babaly's family members offered to buy medications at their own expense. But Hafiz Babaly refused because his family is already in a difficult financial situation due to his arrest and additional expenses for regular deliveries of food and clothing. He intends to demand the observance of his legal rights," said the relative.

According to him, there are currently no complications. "But we consulted with doctors, and they said that if Hafiz Babaly continues not to take medications, it will inevitably lead to the worsening of his illnesses," said the relative.

The human rights defender, head of the Center for Monitoring Political Prisoners Elshan Gasanov, regarded the deprivation of Babaly's medications as a violation of his rights.

"Individuals in places of forced detention are under state care. If they have health problems, the state is obliged to provide them with medical assistance, including medications," he told a correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot".

According to him, the rights of inmates in this area are regulated by the Penal Enforcement Code and the law "On Ensuring the Rights and Freedoms of Persons Held in Places of Detention," as well as regulatory legal acts of the Ministry of Justice.

"The fact that the Ministry of Justice did not conduct a tender for the procurement of medications is not an excuse for not distributing medications. An inmate should not suffer from the negligence of officials. The responsibility for any health consequences for Babaly due to the lack of his medications will lie with the state and specific officials responsible for the healthcare of inmates," said the human rights defender.

It was not possible to obtain comments from the Penitentiary Service.