Hafiz Babali is a well-known investigative journalist. He is also the head of the economic department of Turan News Agency. During his career, he has worked for various news agencies, including Radio Free Europe/RadioLiberty, Meydan TV, the new media channel ASTNA, the anti-corruption portal Open Azerbaijan, and Abzas Media. He has investigated corruption and money laundering of Azerbaijan’s political and financial elite. Because of his journalistic activities, he and his family have been threatened and harassed.

On December 13, 2023, in the afternoon, the Baku Police Department detained Babali at the railway station in Baku. He traveled there from his hometown of Sumgayit. Seven or eight police officers searched his apartment in Sumgayit and seized his computer, mobile phone, and some documents. After the search, the police took Babali to the Baku Police Department. Before he was arrested on November 28, 2023, police summoned Babali as a witness in the Abzas Media case. They asked him about the financing of Abzas Media, which he knew nothing about as he published his investigative journalism, worked remotely, and rarely went to the editorial office.

On December 14, 2023, the Khatai District Court of Baku remanded him for three months in pre-trial detention. He was charged with allegedly smuggling foreign currency.

Babali has a third-group disability. Authorities have now frozen his disability pension card’s account.  

On March 7, 2024, the Khatai District Court of Baku extended Babali’s pre-trial detention for an additional three months.

On April 30, 2024, the Sabail court of Baku rejected Hafiz Babaly’s lawsuit against the ATV TV channel. At the end of 2023, several Azerbaijani media outlets, including ATV TV channel, Qafqazinfo.az, and the “Iki Sahil” newspaper claimed that Babali had “established contacts with foreign foundations within the framework of grant projects, conducted research, and prepared articles on their behalf,” naming several American and European organizations. Babali refuted the claims and sought retraction and compensation for moral damages.

On July 9, 2024, the Khatai District Court extended his pre-trial detention for another two months and seven days to September 20, 2024.

On August 17, 2024, authorities amended the indictment and brought new charges against Babali to include illegal entrepreneurship, money laundering, tax evasion, and document forgery.