Aysel Shamsaddin gizi Umudova (born August 1, 1992) is an Azerbaijani
journalist
A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, processes it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public. This is called journalism.
Roles
Journalists can work in broadcast, print, advertis ...
and
political prisoner
A political prisoner is someone imprisoned for their political activity. The political offense is not always the official reason for the prisoner's detention.
There is no internationally recognized legal definition of the concept, although ...
; a reporter for Meydan TV. She was arrested on December 6, 2024, as part of a
criminal case
Criminal procedure is the adjudication process of the criminal law. While criminal procedure differs dramatically by jurisdiction, the process generally begins with a formal criminal charge with the person on trial either being free on bail ...
opened against Meydan TV journalists. Aysel Umudova and six other journalists involved in the case were charged under Article 206.3.2 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan (smuggling on preliminary arrangement by group of persons).
She is currently held at the Baku Pretrial Detention Center under the Penitentiary Service of the
Ministry of Justice
A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice, is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...
.
Early life and education
Aysel Umudova was born in 1992 in Azerbaijan. She began her
higher education
Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education.
The World Bank defines tertiary education as including universities, colleges, and vocational schools ...
in
sociology
Sociology is the scientific study of human society that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. The term sociol ...
, but her studies were interrupted due to her arrest. In 2014, Umudova started working as a
reporter
A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, processes it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public. This is called journalism.
Roles
Journalists can work in broadcast, print, advertis ...
for Meydan TV. From a young age, she showed a strong interest in social justice and decided to use her knowledge to contribute to society through journalism.
Journalism career
Working with Meydan TV (a Berlin-based independent media platform), Umudova reported on various sensitive topics, including government
corruption
Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense that is undertaken by a person or an organization that is entrusted in a position of authority to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's gain. Corruption may involve activities ...
and
civil society
Civil society can be understood as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business, and including the family and the private sphere.public protests and
human rights
Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...
rallies. On March 8, 2021, during an
International Women’s Day
International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on 8 March, commemorating women's fight for equality and liberation along with the women's rights, women's rights movement. International Women's Day gives focus to issues such as gender equality, r ...
march in Baku, Umudova participated in and covered the
women’s rights
Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countries ...
protest that was violently dispersed by
police
The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...
. After the rally, she publicly revealed that police had attempted to intimidate the participants by visiting their homes (even coming to an address they believed was hers). Umudova also reported on opposition demonstrations. In November 2022, while covering opposition protests in Baku, she was assaulted by police officers, suffering a leg injury despite wearing a press vest. On November 5, 2022, while covering another protest, Umudova and several other journalists were forcibly removed from the area by police using excessive force; as a result, their equipment was destroyed. In addition to her on-ground reporting, Umudova became a target of online harassment and smear campaigns. In early 2023, a pro-government social media group called “Tenqidci” (“Critic”) leaked private content and targeted several women activists. Umudova and another Meydan TV reporter, Aytaj Tapdig, were among those singled out.
Arrest and detention
On December 6, 2024, amid a broader crackdown on independent media, Aysel Umudova was arrested by Baku police along with five other Meydan TV journalists as part of what became known as the “Meydan TV case.” She was charged under Article 206.3.2 of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code – “smuggling on preliminary arrangement by group of persons” specifically accused of conspiring to smuggle foreign currency. Observers noted the irony of this charge, as Umudova had long been under a
travel ban
A travel ban is one of a variety of mobility restrictions imposed by governments. Bans can be universal or selective. The restrictions can be geographic, imposed by either the originating or destination jurisdiction. They can also be based on indi ...
that made any smuggling activity impossible. According to her lawyer, she was detained overnight and interrogated without legal counsel present raising concerns about due process violations. On December 8, the investigative authority's motion for the imposition of a pre-trial detention measure against Aysel Umudova was reviewed. The motions concerning the detention of each individual were examined separately by the Khatai District Court, presided over by Judge Sulhane Hajiyeva. The court granted the motions, and a pretrial detention order for a period of four months was issued against all detainees, including Aysel Umudova. Umudova has denied all charges, asserting that her arrest is retaliation for her journalistic work. “She stated that her arrest was directly related to her journalistic activities,” her lawyer reported after a court hearing. All six jailed journalists maintained their innocence and viewed the case as politically motivated, a stance echoed by local human rights defenders who immediately recognized them as '' de facto''
political prisoners
A political prisoner is someone imprisoned for their political activity. The political offense is not always the official reason for the prisoner's detention.
There is no internationally recognized legal definition of the concept, although ...
. While in custody at Baku Pre-Trial Detention Center, Umudova’s health deteriorated. Reports in December 2024 indicated she suffered frequent panic attacks and stress-related illness; an ambulance was called twice due to spikes in her blood pressure and vomiting. Despite this, authorities declined motions to replace her incarceration with house arrest. In January and again in March 2025, court rejected appeals for Umudova’s release to house arrest, leaving her behind bars pending trial. By this time, the crackdown had widened to include other journalists (such as Fatima Movlamli and Nurlan Libre) in the same case.
Umudova’s arrest drew international condemnation.
Amnesty International
Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ...
Freedom Now
Freedom Now is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit, non-partisan organization that opposes government repression and defends human rights through direct legal support, advocacy, and capacity-building analysis and assistance.
Its approach is to ...
all denounced the charges and called for her immediate release. Local media advocacy groups also campaigned on her behalf. In a rare public rebuke, U.S. Secretary of State
Antony Blinken
Antony John Blinken (born April 16, 1962) is an American lawyer and diplomat who served as the 71st United States secretary of state from 2021 to 2025. He previously served as Deputy National Security Advisor, deputy national security advisor ...
urged the Azerbaijani government to free the Meydan TV journalists, including Umudova, though Azerbaijani officials rejected this as “interference” in the judicial process.{{Cite web , title=Aysel Umudova ev dustaqlığına buraxılmadı , url=https://toplummedia.tv/siyaset/pspan-stylefont-size18pxspan-stylefont-familytimes-new-romantimesserifstrongaysel-umudova-ev-dustaqligina-buraxilmadinbspstrongspanspanp#:~:text=Az%C9%99rbaycan%20Xarici%20%C4%B0%C5%9Fl%C9%99r%20Nazirliyi%20is%C9%99,q%C9%99tiyy%C9%99tl%C9%99%20pisl%C9%99yib%20v%C9%99%20r%C9%99dd%20edib , access-date=2025-04-14 , website=Toplum TV , language=az