America Must Stand With Its Journalist: The Case of Ulviyya Ali
My fiancee stood by Voice of America – Ulviyya Ali, the author’s fiancée, has endured imprisonment in Azerbaijan after dedicating years to reporting on human rights violations for Voice of America. Her courageous journalism made her a target of the Azerbaijani government, and she now remains behind bars, isolated from the outside world and unable to speak freely.
The United States possesses the authority to assist in restoring her liberty. The critical question remains whether it possesses the determination to act.
VOA’s Mission and Ulviyya’s Dedication
Since its establishment, Voice of America has carried a fundamental mandate entrusted by the U.S. government: to deliver truth to global audiences. Ulviyya embraced this purpose with conviction, accepting significant personal danger in the process. Azerbaijan consistently ranks within the top ten nations worldwide for press repression, yet she continued her work as one of the country’s final independent reporters, documenting egregious human rights violations.
Her willingness to face these dangers stemmed partly from a belief that she was not fighting alone. She placed her faith in the free press principles that VOA represents, trusting that America would not turn away when those values faced assault.
Government Silence Amid Crisis
Following President Trump’s executive order issued in March 2025, which aimed to effectively close Voice of America, the U.S. government has remained quiet while Ulviyya has been confined within an Azerbaijani prison. This silence persisted even as she endured repeated beatings from prison guards and received threats of sexual violence.
For over twelve months, Ulviyya has been held on charges that appear fabricated. These accusations include “smuggling” foreign currency and “money laundering.” Should she be convicted, she could receive a sentence reaching twenty years. Despite this, the U.S. government has not released any formal statement, and the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees VOA, has failed to take substantial measures toward securing her freedom.
Historical Precedents of Support
Founding figures of Voice of America recognized that fulfilling their mission required dedicated journalists like Ulviyya. When inconvenient truths placed reporters in jeopardy, both the agency and the American government historically stood alongside them.
In 2009, coordinated efforts helped secure the release of VOA reporter Mohammed Yasin Isahaq from a Somali prison. Two years later, in 2022, VOA publicly condemned the assault and temporary detention of journalist Godwin Mangudya in Zimbabwe. Simultaneously, alongside the U.S. government, they advocated for the release of Diing Magot, another VOA journalist held in South Sudan.
Azerbaijan has also seen American intervention on behalf of VOA journalists. When Khadija Ismayilova, an award-winning investigative reporter for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Azerbaijani Service, was arrested in 2014 on politically driven charges, the U.S. government applied sustained, coordinated pressure. Board members of the U.S. Agency for Global Media and network executives elevated her case into public awareness. Congressional hearings demanded targeted sanctions against Azerbaijani officials. The State Department raised her situation directly within its bilateral relationship with Baku. After nearly two years of continuous American pressure, she was finally released in May 2016.
A Call for Action
If the U.S. government continues its silence while Ulviyya remains imprisoned, the message will extend far beyond Azerbaijan’s borders. Such inaction would undermine America’s credibility internationally and signal diminished value placed on those who risk their lives to carry American messages abroad.
The author refuses to remain quiet while the woman he loves sits behind bars. He has contacted every available resource, reached out to colleagues, friends, and international nongovernmental organizations, and sought assistance wherever possible.
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) have publicly defended Ulviyya, and both she and the author express deep gratitude for this support. However, two statements alone prove insufficient. She requires the full weight of the U.S. government—the kind of pressure capable of moving mountains and impossible for Aliyev’s regime to overlook.
The State Department should speak forcefully and clearly, naming Ulviyya’s case in public statements and raising it during every bilateral engagement with Azerbaijan. Congress should explore targeted sanctions against officials responsible for her detention and mistreatment. Meanwhile, the U.S. Agency for Global Media should publicly advocate for her release with the same strength and urgency demonstrated in previous cases involving journalists promoting American values of truth and press freedom.
Ulviyya warned the author early on that her work could lead to imprisonment, yet she never wavered in her commitment to truth. Now, the question belongs to America: will it honor the values Ulviyya risked everything to uphold?
