Azerbaijani journalist and economist Farid Mehralizada, who is affiliated with RFE/RL, marked his fifth month in custody on October 30 on charges that he and his supporters say are fabricated.
Mehralizada was initially detained on June 1 on charges related to smuggling. Since then, additional charges have been layered into his case, including illegal entrepreneurship, gang smuggling, tax evasion, and document forgery.
Despite his claims of innocence, his detention was extended on September 6 until December 19.
RFE/RL President Stephen Capus called for Mehralizada's immediate release saying his detention was unjust.
"Today marks five months since RFE/RL journalist Farid Mehralizada was unjustly detained in Azerbaijan. We are deeply concerned by his continued imprisonment on false charges," Capus said in a statement on October 30.
"We call for his immediate release so he can return home to his wife and newborn daughter."
Azerbaijani authorities insist that there is no political motivation behind Mehralizada's detention and that no one in Azerbaijan is held for political reasons.
Rights groups, however, point out that, since November, approximately 20 journalists and social activists have been detained on similar smuggling charges, many of them linked to "Abzas Media," which has come under pressure.
Several media personnel related to the company have been arrested and subsequently detained for what they say are politically motivated reasons.
Human rights organizations estimate that at least 300 political prisoners are currently held in Azerbaijani jails, underscoring ongoing criticism of President Ilham Aliyev’s administration.
Since taking power following the death of his predecessor and father Heydar Aliyev in 2003, Ilham Aliyev has faced accusations of suppressing dissent by detaining journalists, opposition figures, and civil-society activists.
