23:54, 7 May 2020

ECtHR finds violation of journalist Khadija Ismayilova's rights

Khadija Ismayilova at a protest action. Baku, March 2019. Photo by Aziz Karimov for the "Caucasian Knot"

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) granted a complaint filed by journalist Khadija Ismayilova against the Azerbaijani authorities. The ECtHR obliged Azerbaijan to pay the journalist 6000 euros of compensation.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in February, the ECtHR ordered the Azerbaijani authorities to pay Khadija Ismayilova 20,000 euros in compensation for non-pecuniary damage for her detention. The Strasbourg Court found that Khadija Ismayilova was prosecuted for her investigative journalistic activities.

In 2014, Khadija Ismayilova was detained on a charge of bringing her colleague Tural Mustafaev to an attempted suicide. Later, some economic charges were also brought against Khadija Ismayilova. The Supreme Court (SC) of Azerbaijan replaced the journalist's real term of imprisonment with 3.5 years of conditional sentence.

In 2012, Khadija Ismayilova filed a complaint to the ECHR "in connection with the persecution in the pro-government media." Then, footage of the journalist's private life appeared on the Internet. In an article posted in a pro-government newspaper, Khadija Ismayilova was described as an "immoral" woman.

Lawyer Khalid Agaliev called the decision of the ECtHR an important precedent for recognizing an illegal persecution campaign against government critics.

"Local courts eagerly punish critics of the authorities and prefer to dismiss claims against persons who resort to direct insults," the lawyer noted.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on May 7, 2020 at 03:47 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Author: Faik Medjid

Source: CK correspondent