Authorities in Azerbaijan have taken journalist Ulviya Ali into custody today, according to local media reports, amidst an ongoing criminal case involving six of her colleagues from the independent TV channel Meydan.
Reports indicate that Ali has been detained for a month on allegations of smuggling, which she categorically denies.
In recent months, several other journalists have faced similar smuggling accusations, which they dismiss as politically driven attempts to suppress dissenting voices.
Despite Western criticism of these arrests, Azerbaijan maintains that such statements from diplomats and human rights organizations amount to interference in its judicial processes. The government also asserts that the arrests are not motivated by politics.
According to Reporters Without Borders, there are currently 24 journalists and media professionals imprisoned in Azerbaijan.
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