Azerbaijani political prisoner released from prison

Aziz Orujov, head of the Azerbaijani online television channel Kanal-13, was released after two years in prison on charges of illegal construction. Orujov, who denies his guilt, has been recognized by human rights activists as a political prisoner.

His health has seriously deteriorated during his time in prison, and he will require treatment and rehabilitation to return to work. Initially, in November 2023, Orujov was accused of currency smuggling (along with Kanal-13 employee Shamo Eminov), but this charge was subsequently dropped.

Reporters Without Borders has repeatedly drawn attention to the "widespread crackdown on the independent press" in Azerbaijan. Baku ranks 167th in RSF's latest press freedom index, having fallen three places in the past year. RSF noted that the inability to finance independent publications in Azerbaijan has led them to either close or go into exile. Journalists who criticize the country's authorities and expose high-level corruption are subject to criminal prosecution on trumped-up charges of foreign currency smuggling and other offenses.

Последние новости
In Dagestan, a schoolgirl pulled a six-year-old boy from a car just seconds before it burst into flames
Society
In Dagestan, a schoolgirl pulled a six-year-old boy from a car just seconds before it burst into flames
30 October 2026

In Khasavyurt, 15-year-old Maryam Akavova rescued a six-year-old child from a Lada Priora that had caught fire. On October 27, the ninth-grade student was walking past a parked car when she noticed a boy’s head sticking out of a window. Upon getting closer, she saw that the glove compartment inside the vehicle was already on fire.

Human rights
"We’ve been killed": The newspaper where Anna Politkovskaya worked announces its forced closure
30 October 2026

Russia’s *Novaya Gazeta* is ceasing operations. On November 9, the editorial team plans to vacate its office in the center of Moscow, shut down its servers, and publish its final issue. The journalists announced this decision on October 30 in a statement titled "We’ve been killed," citing pressure from Russian authorities and security services, eviction from their premises, and the blocking of their reader-donation system.

Dagestan may become the second region in the North Caucasian Federal District to implement a total ban on the sale of vapes
Society
Dagestan may become the second region in the North Caucasian Federal District to implement a total ban on the sale of vapes
30 October 2026

Dagestan is considering a complete ban on the retail sale of electronic cigarettes and the liquids used in them. The republic’s People’s Assembly has approved, in the first reading, a bill that would impose a five-year restriction on the sale of such products throughout the region. The initiative was put forward by the Speaker of the Parliament, Zaur Askenderov.

Armenian Speaker Rejects Opposition Accusations of Preparing an
Politics
Armenian Speaker Rejects Opposition Accusations of Preparing an "Aliyev-Style" Constitution
30 October 2026

The Armenian authorities have no intention of adopting a Basic Law dictated by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The discussion concerns the development of a new Constitution, which would require the approval of the republic’s own citizens, stated Ruben Rubinyan, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, during a briefing on October 30.