SHAMSHAD AGHAYEV
Editor of news website Argument; cooperated with Meydan TV and hosted a programme on Toplum TV; imprisoned under bogus charges.
About Shamshad Aghayev
Shamshad Aghayev (also known as Shamshad Agha) is an Azerbaijani journalist and editor. He was born on 1 September 1982 in the village of Shivla (Lerik, Lankaran region). From 2003 to 2007, he studied at the Faculty of Philology of Lankaran State University, which he graduated from with honours. He subsequently worked as a teacher of Azerbaijani literature at the secondary school in Bilavr village, from which he had previously graduated.
Aghayev has worked extensively with independent media outlets in Azerbaijan, focusing on sensitive issues such as corruption, human rights, and politics. He was the Editor-in-Chief of the independent news website Arqument.az. He has also collaborated as an editor with the German-based independent outlet Meydan TV and previously hosted a programme on Toplum TV.
Prior to his arrest, Aghayev was repeatedly identified as a witness in the criminal investigations initiated against both Toplum TV and Meydan TV staff in 2024. During his questioning, the Azerbaijani authorities imposed a travel ban on him.
Case description
Shamshad Aghayev was detained on 5 February 2025 during a pre-dawn raid and search of his home. During the police raid, law enforcement seized his electronic devices, including phones, a computer, and his journalist credentials.1,2
Later, he was charged under Criminal Code Article 206.3.2 (smuggling committed by a group of persons in collusion), relating to the alleged illegal receipt of Western donor funding. The Khatai District Court initially remanded him to two months and one day of pre-trial detention. In the following months, his pre-trial detention was repeatedly extended, and defence motions to transfer him to house arrest were denied, despite the serious, life-threatening illness of his wife, who reportedly requires high-risk surgery, and his custody of two minor children.3
On 28 August 2025, the initial charges were amended to include seven additional crimes, including illegal entrepreneurship, tax evasion, money laundering, and forgery of documents, with a maximum potential sentence of up to 12 years in prison.
In pre-trial detention, Aghayev’s health deteriorated. In September 2025, he was hospitalised at the Penitentiary Service Hospital due to gastrointestinal problems.4
On 14 October 2025, the Khatai District Court rejected a motion for his temporary leave, under guard supervision, to attend the memorial service for his 18-year-old niece.5
He has denied the charges, asserting that his detention is linked to his professional journalistic activities. Aghayev is remanded at Baku Pre-trial Detention Centre No. 1 (SIZO). In December 2025, his criminal case was formally sent to the Baku Court for Serious (Grave) Crimes, and trials began in mid-December 2025.6
References
- https://cpj.org/data/people/shamshad-aghayev-shamshad-agha/
- https://www.meydan.tv/en/article/journalist-shamshad-aghayev-reportedly-detained-in-connection-with-meydan-tv-case/
- https://humanrightsaz.com/en/detention-of-journalist-shamshad-aghayev-extended-by-20-days-in-the-meydan-tv-case/
- https://www.irfs.org/news-feed/arrested-journalist-hospitalized/
- https://www.irfs.org/news-feed/arrested-journalist-shamshad-aga-denied-release-from-pre-trial-detention-for-relatives-memorial-service/
- https://www.meydan.tv/en/article/meydan-tv-isi-uzr%C9%99-m%C9%99hk%C9%99m%C9%99-prosesi-baslayir/
Resources about Shamshad Aghayev
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