On July 1, Ulvi Hasanli, director of the independent media outlet Abzas Media, met with his lawyer Zibeyda Sadiqova at the Umbaki prison where he is currently being held.

Hasanli told his lawyer he has been on a hunger strike since June 26 and has been placed in a disciplinary cell. As a result of the strike, his weight has dropped from 77 to 71 kilograms.

According to his wife, Rubaba Guliyeva, Hasanli has not received any medical examination despite his deteriorating health. He reportedly remains in the same clothes he wore at the time of his transfer to Umbaki prison, as clean clothing has not been provided. He has also been given a broken bed without bedding, leading to back pain and other health issues.

Hasanli’s family alleges that two prison officers - one identified as Parviz, physically assaulted him, tearing his clothes and causing him to injure his leg when he struck the bed. Visible bruises reportedly remain on his body.

Hasanli has declared that he will not end his hunger strike until he is allowed to see his wife and two-year-old daughter. He is also protesting his transfer to Umbaki prison, arguing that under the court’s ruling, he should have remained in the Baku Pretrial Detention Center until his sentence comes into legal force.

Several Abzas Media journalists currently held in the Baku Pretrial Detention Center have expressed their intention to join Hasanli’s hunger strike if his demands are not met.

Lawyer Zibeyda Sadiqova has formally appealed to the Penitentiary Service and the Office of the Ombudsman regarding the abuse.

Hasanli and other Abzas Media staff were detained in November 2023 following a series of corruption investigations involving President Ilham Aliyev and his inner circle. In May 2024, RFE/RL journalist and economist Farid Mehralizade was also arrested in connection with the same case.

The journalists have been charged with smuggling and serious financial crimes. Both the accused and international human rights organisations have rejected the allegations, linking the prosecution to their investigative work. The combined pretrial and court proceedings lasted nearly two years.

On June 20, the Baku Serious Crimes Court sentenced Hasanli, Sevinc Abbasova (Vagifqizi), 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.