On 17 December, the trial of Farid Mehralizada commenced at the Baku Court of Grave Crimes with the preliminary hearing in the case of Abzas Media. 

Journalists were denied access to the courtroom to report the process.

Before the court hearing started, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFERL) condemned the “sham trial” of its journalist, Farid Mehralizada, and demanded the Azerbaijani authorities release him immediately. 

International human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders, called on the diplomats in Baku to attend and monitor the trials.

The initial hearing, which continued for nearly two hours, served to confirm the identities of the defendants and to review motions by their lawyers. Yet, the main motion seeking the release of the defendants, including Farid, to house arrest was rejected by the judges.

According to his wife, Nargiz Mukhtarova and lawyer Javad Javadov, at the hearing, alongside the other defendants in the Abzas case, Farid objected to the panel of appointed judges and supported the motion raised by the lawyers seeking their removal of Judge Rasim Sadikhov from presiding over the case due to his track record of delivering unjust sentences to political prisoners in the past.

Farid also stated at the court that he was arrested for his economic analyses critical of the government, and he has no relation to the Abzas Media except for his regular interviews for the media outlet. “I would proudly state it if I was an Abzas Media journalist,” Farid said, adding that he was included by the prosecution in the Abzas case “just because it was convenient.”

The court process will continue on 28 December.