Author: Leyla Mustafayeva

BAKU — A series of previously undisclosed meetings between German politicians and senior Russian officials at the five-star Four Seasons Hotel in Baku has drawn renewed attention following comments by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Die Zeit recently reported that a confidential meeting concerning the Russia-Ukraine war took place in Baku […]

On July 23, the Binagadi District Court extended the pretrial detention of Afgan Sadigov, the head of the YouTube channel Azel TV, by three months. The information was confirmed to Qazetci by Sadigov’s lawyer, Nemat Karimli. “The court ruled to extend the pretrial detention until October 30. During the hearing, the investigator stated that new complaints against journalist […]

According to the Armenian Wrestling Federation, almost 20 athletes will take part in the event, set to run from 27 July to 2 August. Sarkhan Musayev, a spokesperson of the Azerbaijani Wrestling Federation, told OC Media that the Armenian national team reversed its earlier decision not to participate in the championship at the last minute. ‘Initially, the Armenian team […]

Mariana Vasileva, who was removed from her post as deputy minister of youth and sports last year, has been appointed to a new position. According to Gununsesi.info, Vasileva has been named executive director of the Azerbaijan Athletics Federation by the federation’s president, Javid Gurbanov. Before being appointed deputy minister in 2021, Vasileva served as head […]

State resources are being used to serve the private interests of President Ilham Aliyev’s grandsons’ business event, according to evidence obtained by Qazetci. Ali and Mikayil Agalarov, the sons of Leyla Aliyeva and businessman Emin Agalarov, arrived at the openings of their private business ventures in Baku in official vehicles belonging to the Presidential Administration. […]

On June 18, a family visiting the beach in Dubandi, a village at the shore of the Caspian Sea, witnessed a shocking scene. Water snakes that had emerged from the sea and curled up on the coastal rocks—normally bright green in color—were instead coated in thick black oil. The sight offered a stark illustration of […]

The authorities in Azerbaijan appear to have blocked OC Media’s website, with the site remaining inaccessible throughout the country. OC Media first learnt from readers that they could not reach the website in early June, just as Azerbaijan launched a new National Cybersecurity Agency (NCA) with far-reaching powers of information control. All attempts to load the website across […]

BAKU — On June 24, mass attacks on bank accounts were reported in Azerbaijan. Agil Layij, a lawyer based in the capital, Baku, wrote on social media that bank cards had been subjected to strong cyberattacks since June 23. According to him, account balances are decreasing, and loans are being formally issued as a result […]

BAKU — Azerbaijan’s Cabinet of Ministers has extended the country’s special quarantine regime until October 1, continuing restrictions that have been in place since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Introduced on March 24, 2020, the special quarantine regime includes also the closure of Azerbaijan’s land borders, which have remained shut for more than six […]

The Azerbaijani government will cover 50 percent of the interest payments on business loans obtained by entrepreneurs operating in cities and districts outside Baku and the Absheron district. According to the decree signed by President Aliyev on June 9, the state guarantee and interest subsidy mechanisms will initially be introduced as a pilot program, and […]