Political prisoner-journalist goes on hunger strike in Azerbaijan

The head of the website Demokratik.az, Osman Narimanoglu (Rzayev), sentenced to 6.5 years in prison, went on a hunger strike in a pre-trial detention center in Azerbaijan. He protests the bias in his appeal against his conviction.

The journalist has been in prison for almost two years, and the appeal court is delaying the investigation. The judge does not grant the defense's requests and refuses to place Narimanoglu under house arrest and to call the victims as witnesses.

Arzu Rzayev’s wife said that his health condition has worsened, but the necessary medical care is not provided to the journalist.

Osman Narimanoglu was arrested in July 2022 on charges of extorting money from officials. He said the charges were fabricated.

The journalist believes that the reason for the persecution is his revealing materials about corrupt officials. In January 2024, the court sentenced him to six and a half years in prison. Human rights activists recognized Osman Narimanoglu as a political prisoner.

Последние новости
A friend of a missing Chechen woman faces up to 30 days in jail or a hefty fine for a picket in Grozny
Human rights
A friend of a missing Chechen woman faces up to 30 days in jail or a hefty fine for a picket in Grozny
24 August 2026

Lena Patyaeva, a friend of missing Chechen native Seda Suleimanova, was charged with an administrative offense after a solo picket in Grozny. She held the protest on August 23, the third anniversary of Suleimanova's disappearance. Under the charges against her, Patyaeva faces up to 30 days in jail or a fine of up to 300,000 rubles.

Aliyev and Pashinyan congratulated Zelenskyy on Independence Day and assured of their support for Ukraine
Politics
Aliyev and Pashinyan congratulated Zelenskyy on Independence Day and assured of their support for Ukraine
24 August 2026

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan congratulated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Ukraine's Independence Day. In their messages, they expressed support for the country and outlined their vision for the future development of relations between Baku and Yerevan with Kyiv.

Pashinyan: Karapetyan's
Politics
Pashinyan: Karapetyan's "secret plan" is to provoke an economic crisis and change the government
24 August 2026

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that part of the Armenian opposition is interested in tightening Russian restrictions on imports into the country. According to him, economic pressure should lead to a crisis and protests, which could then be used to change the government.

Ukraine attacked southern Russia: children died in Krasnodar, and Ozon warehouses were hit
Politics
Ukraine attacked southern Russia: children died in Krasnodar, and Ozon warehouses were hit
24 August 2026

Overnight into August 24, drones attacked several regions in southern Russia. The consequences were most tragic in Krasnodar: drone debris fell on a private children's center, killing two children and injuring seven other children and two adults. This was reported by Veniamin Kondratyev, the governor of Krasnodar Krai.