Azerbaijani journalist Avaz Zeynalli diagnosed with cancer in prison, urgent release requested

Zeynalli's health has steadily deteriorated during his imprisonment, and he has now been diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer.

It has been reported that the cancer has spread to his liver. According to Azerbaijani law, such a diagnosis necessitates immediate release.

Meanwhile, due to inadequate prison healthcare conditions and delayed interventions, Zeynalli’s life is increasingly at risk, and treatment has yet to begin.

Speaking to Cumhuriyet, his daughter, journalist Seljan Zeynalli, said: “A request has been submitted to the court. There are growing calls from the public, journalists, and political party leaders for his release.”

TRIAL

Journalist Avaz Zeynalli was arrested on September 9, 2022, over allegations that he accepted a bribe of 20,000 manats from the wife of Rasim Mammadov, the former director of steel production company "Baku Steel Company" MMC.

Mammadov, whose assets were valued at 180 million manats, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for fraud and damaging state property. Zeynalli, in his defense, claimed he was innocent and that his arrest was politically motivated—an attempt to silence him.

Zeynalli had previously been imprisoned under similar charges. However, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that his detention violated Articles 5 (right to liberty and security), 8 (right to respect for private and family life), and 10 (freedom of expression) of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Following the ruling, Azerbaijan’s Supreme Court acquitted Zeynalli and was forced to pay compensation for the material and moral damages he suffered.

Zeynalli is known for his investigative reporting on systemic corruption in Azerbaijan, particularly through Xural TV.

WHO IS AVAZ ZEYNALLI?

Avaz Zeynalli was born on January 1, 1970. He completed his university education at the Faculty of Law at Ankara University. During his studies in Turkey, he published the magazine Büyük Gelecek (The Great Future) and conducted interviews with prominent politicians, including former Turkish Prime Minister Süleyman Demirel and the former President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Rauf Denktaş.

After returning to Azerbaijan in 1999, Zeynalli worked as a writer for newspapers such as Günaydın, (Good Morning) P.S., and Milletin Sesi (Voice of the Nation), and as the editor-in-chief of Vatandaş Dayanışması (Citizen Solidarity).

In 2002, he founded the newspaper Xural, serving as its chief editor. The outlet continues its work as the news site Xural.org. He also hosted the program Siyaset Meydanı on the Xural TV YouTube channel.

Zeynalli promoted the idea of a “National Lovers' Day” in Azerbaijan, proposing that June 30—the wedding day of January 20, 1990 martyrs Ilham and Ferize—be commemorated as such.

In 2006, he published a book titled June 30 – Lovers’ Day, and during his imprisonment from 2011 to 2014, he wrote a 40-volume prison diary series titled Selcan’s Homeland (Selcanın Memleketi). He also translated Daniel Yergin’s The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power into Azerbaijani.

IMPRISONMENT

In 2011, Zeynalli was sentenced to nine years in prison under bribery charges, reportedly at the order of Ramiz Mehdiyev, head of the Presidential Administration. He was released in 2014 after serving three years, under a presidential pardon by President Ilham Aliyev.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled that Zeynalli’s rights had again been violated under Articles 5, 8, and 10 of the Convention. Following this, the Supreme Court acquitted him and ordered compensation for damages.

During this time, Xural TV, the media outlet Zeynalli led, gained a large audience.