NATIG JAVADLI
Journalist at Meydan TV; imprisoned under bogus charges.
About Natig Javadli
Natig was born on 13 March 1971 in Sumgayit, Azerbaijan. He studied at Sumgayit Polytechnical College from 1988 to 1993, and after that studied history at the Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University (1997–2002).
Javadli, with over 35 years of professional experience, is considered one of Azerbaijan’s respected journalists and thinkers, known for his integrity and dedication to truth. His commitment to his ideals is described as being rooted in his upbringing, with his father having participated in anti-Soviet protests in 1963. Prior to joining the Berlin-based media outlet Meydan TV, where he worked as a journalist, he wrote for the daily newspaper Bizim Yol. His work has consistently focused on holding authorities accountable and addressing issues often overlooked in mainstream discourse.1,2
He has reportedly faced smear campaigns and threats of imprisonment throughout his career but remained committed to his mission. For his courageous, independent, and high-quality reporting, Natig Javadli became a laureate of the international Gerd Bucerius Foundation Prize.
Natig Javadli’s current detention follows a history of targeted harassment by Azerbaijani authorities. In June 2015, Javadli and a few of his co-workers were banned from leaving Azerbaijan at an overland border crossing. This was an unofficial but enforced travel ban. Regarding this case, the European Court of Human Rights concluded that Javadli’s right to freedom of movement had been breached by the Azerbaijani government to obstruct his professional endeavours.3,4
Case description
The Baku Main Police Department arrested Natig Javadli on 6 December 2024, as part of a wave of detentions targeting the independent media outlet Meydan TV. His arrest occurred shortly after his return from medical leave, on his first day back at work. Reportedly, he was held overnight at the police station and interrogated without the presence of his lawyer.5
On 8 December 2024, the Khatai District Court remanded Javadli to four months of pre-trial detention under the charge of smuggling foreign currency committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy (Criminal Code Article 206.3.2). Later, his pre-trial detention was prolonged several times, and the court denied the defence motion to transfer Javadli to house arrest.6
In August 2025, the investigation brought additional charges, expanding the indictment to include illegal entrepreneurship, money laundering, smuggling by an organised group, tax evasion by an organised group, forgery of documents, and use of forged documents.7
On 12 December 2025, the Baku Court of Serious Crimes started the trial in the case against Germany-based Meydan TV.
References
- https://www.meydan.tv/en/article/natig-javadli-a-symbol-of-honesty-and-justice/
- https://cpj.org/data/people/natig-javadli/
- https://smdtaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SMDT-travel_ban-ENG-2.pdf
- https://www.meydan.tv/en/article/journalist-natiq-javadli-unable-to-have-travel-ban-lifted/?tztc=1
- https://advox.globalvoices.org/2024/12/18/in-azerbaijan-authorities-are-again-targeting-journalists-in-a-new-wave-of-arrests/
- https://www.irfs.org/news-feed/the-court-left-journalist-natig-javadli-in-custody/
Resources about Natig Javadli
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