Ulvi Hasanli, the imprisoned director of Abzas Media, has reportedly been subjected to torture while being held at the Umbaki prison facility.

Hasanli shared this information in a phone call with his family on June 30. He said he has been on a hunger strike for the past five days.

“Ulvi’s voice sounded very weak. He said he has been refusing food for five days. He hasn’t been allowed to receive any personal belongings and has not been given the opportunity to change clothes during his time in the prison. He said he has been pressured, threatened, and tortured for starting the hunger strike,” said his wife, Rubaba Guliyeva.

She also noted that because they are not officially married, Hasanli has been denied the right to meet with his family including their infant child.

During the call, Hasanli stated that the decisions leading to his mistreatment were signed by Fikrat Qafarov, the head of the Operations and Regime Department.

Hasanli is one of several Abzas Media journalists arrested as part of a criminal case launched in November 2023, following a series of investigative reports on alleged corruption involving President Ilham Aliyev and his inner circle.

In May 2024, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist and economist Farid Mehralizade was also detained as part of the same case.

The journalists have been charged with smuggling and other serious financial crimes. However, they along with local and international human rights organisations reject the charges, linking the prosecution to their journalistic work. The investigation and court proceedings have lasted nearly two years.

On June 20, the Baku Serious Crimes Court sentenced Ulvi Hasanli, Sevinj Abbasova (Vagifgizi), Hafiz Babali, and Farid Mehralizade to nine years in prison. Nargiz Absalamova and Elnara Gasimova received eight-year sentences, while Mahammad Kekalov was sentenced to seven years and six months.