Seven journalists from Abzas Media and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms in Azerbaijan.

The Baku Serious Crimes Court, led by Judge Rasim Sadikhov, delivered the verdict on 20 June.

Ulvi Hasanli, director of Abzas Media; editor-in-chief Sevinc Vagifgizi; journalist Hafiz Babali; and RFE/RL’s Farid Mehralizade were each sentenced to nine years in prison. Abzas Media journalists Nargiz Absalamova and Elnara Gasimova received eight-year sentences, while deputy director Mahammad Kekalov was sentenced to seven years and six months.

The journalists are accused of operating as an “organized group” and face multiple charges: smuggling, illegal entrepreneurship, laundering large sums of money obtained by criminal means, tax evasion, document forgery, and use of false documents.

All seven were convicted on all charges.

In their final courtroom statements, the journalists pointed directly to President Ilham Aliyev as the orchestrator of their arrests.

“We have lost our freedom for the sake of free speech and independent media,” said Ulvi Hasanli. “Ilham Aliyev may imprison us, but he cannot imprison our thoughts or our words.”

Sevinc Vagifgizi said that the corruption investigations Abzas Media published involving top officials and members of the president’s family were the real reason behind the arrests. “The “reliable source” that launched this case is none other than President Ilham Aliyev,” she said.

During her final statement, Nargiz Absalamova mockingly offered heart medicine to the presiding judge, saying: “You told us to laugh and see who laughs last. Today is that day, and it’s still us laughing.”

Mahammad Kekalov, the youngest of the group, presented George Orwell’s 1984 to the judges. “Read it. You’ll understand what we are living through,” he said.

Elnara Gasimova said the evidence made it clear they were being punished for their journalism.

“You followed unlawful orders instead of acting independently. That makes you no different from those who gave them. Don’t claim you were “just following orders.””

Farid Mehralizade, an RFE/RL journalist, said the verdict came from those who ordered the arrests, not the judges.

“They could sentence us to life or even reinstate the death penalty. The truth is, I committed no crime. One day, we will be cleared.”

As the verdict was read out, the journalists turned their backs to the judges and held up posters highlighting their corruption investigations into President Ilham Aliyev’s family, Beylar Eyyubov, and Ali Naghiyev.

The journalists also recited a poem by Azerbaijani intellectual Ali bey Huseynzade, invoking censorship and repression:

“They neither let me speak nor broke my pen.”