Five Azerbaijani journalists who are reportedly affiliated with Meydan TV, a media outlet known for harshly criticizing government policy, have been detained in Baku, their relatives said on December 6.
The relatives said the journalists -- Aynur Elgunas, Aytac Tapdiq, Natiq Cavadli, Xayala Agayeva, and Ramin Cabrayilzada, known by his pen name Deko -- were taken to the Baku City Main Police Directorate.
Interior Ministry officials said Cabrayilzada was detained after police obtained information about the alleged smuggling of foreign currency into the country.
The Interior Ministry told the Turan news agency that further investigations are under way and that other people have been detained on suspicion of involvement in the case. "Additional information will be provided," they said.
The detainees have denied the charges, saying they are politically motivated and connected with their professional activity.
The development comes amid a broader crackdown on media freedom in Azerbaijan. More than 20 journalists and civil society activists, including members of AbzasMedia and Toplum TV, have been arrested within the past year on suspicion of foreign currency smuggling.
The timing of the detentions is symbolic ahead of International Human Rights Day on December 10. The embassies of the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland in Baku issued a joint call earlier this week to immediately release those imprisoned in connection with exercising their fundamental freedoms. They were most concerned about the continued persecution of those advocating for human rights and freedom of expression.
U.S. Ambassador Mark Libby called on Baku to release "people fighting for human rights in their beautiful homeland."
SEE ALSO: Journalist Marks 5 Months In Azerbaijani Jail On Charges He Calls FabricatedThe detainees, according to Libby, include economist and journalist Farid Mehralizada, who was recently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. He emphasized that Azerbaijan must fulfill its international commitments to human rights by releasing those arbitrarily detained.
In response, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry rejected the statements of the foreign diplomats and assertions that their arrests were related to their professional activities. The ministry went on to say that this was an attempt to devalue the independence of the Azerbaijani judiciary.
Many international observers are deeply concerned about freedom of speech and respect for human rights in the country with regard to the continued targeting of journalists and activists.