HRW awards Khadija Ismayilova

The human rights organization "Human Rights Watch" (HRW) has announced that journalist Khadija Ismayilova, prosecuted in Azerbaijan, is granted the Alison Des Forges Award named in the memory of the human rights defender.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that 39-year-old Khadija Ismayilova became well-known for her journalistic investigations into the facts of corruption in the highest echelons of power in Azerbaijan. In April 2013, she became one of the ten winners of the contest "Hero of the Caucasus-2012", conducted by the "Caucasian Knot". Since 2011, as a coordinator in Azerbaijan, Khadija Ismayilova took part in the project to highlight actions of organized crime and facts of corruption. On September 1, 2015, in Baku, the court sentenced Khadija Ismayilova to 7.5 years of imprisonment. She was found guilty of a number of economic crimes, but acquitted on the episode of incitement to suicide. The defence of the journalist filed a complaint against the verdict. The consideration of the appeal is postponed until November 25.

Khadija Ismayilova is awarded by the HRW for "outstanding activities" as a "defender of the people wrongfully convicted in the country where freedom of speech is constantly decreasing," the "Radio Azadlyg" reports.

According to the HRW, the Alison Des Forges Award, named in the memory of the world-famous human rights defender, who died in 2009, honours people who risk their lives to protect the dignity and rights of other people.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.