He was born in 1987 Baku and graduated from Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts alumni. In 2013 Karimov worked for Associated Press, subsequently starting his career as a freelance photographer.

2019 he is a frequent contributor to Getty Images. 2013 Freedom House auctioned off Read morephotographs from more than 20 countries, including Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, China, Russia, South Sudan, and Syria. The images, taken by amateur and professional photographers, were chosen as finalists from among hundreds of submissions to Freedom House's second annual photo contest, Karimov covered the War in Donbas, and Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

2014 he attended "INTERNATIONAL SUMMER PHOTOGRAPHY SCHOOL with Magnum Photos" 2017 Lecturer at Azerbaijan State Academy of Physical Education and Sport, sports photojournalism. 2019 Lecturer at Azerbaijan University of Languages – Photojournalism

2020 Karimov's photo is included in the 2020 annual report, Associated Press photographers captured a world in distress.

Alex Shah is an independent journalist based in Baku, Azerbaijan. They are interested in covering humans rights, social justice, and LGBTQ+ issues. Trans visibility and media representation is their main focus.

00:00
03:01


Malik Ayub Sumbal is a Political Analyst, Anchor and Award Winning Journalist having more than 15 years of professional experience.
He has won the Syracuse University Mirror Award in 2012; The S.I. Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University confers the Mirror Awards Read moreannually to honor excellence in reporting on the media industry.

Malik was previously working as Editor in Chief with Eurasia Media Network having Eurasia Diary & The Caspian Times, two main multimedia newspapers and productions houses based in Baku, Azerbaijan. He was also associated with Gulf News, Al Jazeera, Free Speech Radio News (FSRN), Transterrra Media, Daily Sabah, The Diplomat, Asia Times Online, Asia Calling Radio,The Foreigner, iMediaEthics and many others.

Malik was also President at the Consortium for Press Freedom, a leading organization working for the Press Freedom and Free Speech around the world.

He also writes columns with several media organizations around the world occasionally on various international and regional subjects.

Malik is also a documentary Producer and Director, his documentary The Final Punch gives a behind the scenes look at the challenges and sacrifices made by polio vaccinators in Pakistan.