Ulviyya Ali, a 31-year-old journalist for Voice of America, anticipated her arrest by writing a letter asserting her innocence regarding impending false charges due to her work. Azerbaijan's regime has no tolerance for independent media, and Ali prepared for her potential arrest by documenting her situation. After enduring a travel ban, she was arrested following a police raid at her home, accused of currency smuggling—an accusation frequently targeted at journalists. Reports indicate that she faced torture while detained, highlighting the dangerous climate for journalists in Azerbaijan.
"If you are reading this message, it means I have been arrested on trumped-up charges due to my journalistic activity," Ali, 31, who was working as a reporter for the U.S. government-funded news outlet Voice of America, wrote in January.
"I would not say she was afraid. She was very calm and psychologically ready for it," said Nilufar Mammadrzayeva, one of Ali's friends and a 25-year-old labor activist from Azerbaijan.
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