Sport For Rights: Joint Statement: Sport for Rights coalition condemns sentencing of journalist Khadija Ismayilova
JOINT STATEMENT
Azerbaijan:Sport for Rights coalition condemns sentencing of journalist Khadija Ismayilova
The Sport for Rights coalition strongly condemns the sentencingof Azerbaijani journalist Khadija Ismayilova to a staggering 7.5 years in jail.On 1 September, the Baku Court of Grave Crimes convicted Ismayilova on chargesof embezzlement, illegal entrepreneurship, tax evasion, and abuse of office.Ismayilova was acquitted of the charge of inciting someone to attempt suicide. Sportfor Rights considers the charges against Ismayilova to be politically motivatedand connected to her work as an investigative journalist, particularly herexposure of corruption among the ruling Azerbaijani elite.
"We condemn today's verdict in the case ofKhadija Ismayilova, which puts an outrageous yet expected ending to thegrotesque proceedings against her", CPJEurope and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova said. "The time for business as usual withAzerbaijan is over. We call on Baku's counterparts in the internationalcommunity to make no further dealings with this highly repressive state untilIsmayilova is unconditionally released and fully acquitted of all fabricatedaccusations”.
“KhadijaIsmayilova’s trial failed to meet minimum fair trial guarantees, a pattern thathas been regularly observed by IPHR’s monitors in similar cases inAzerbaijan", said Brigitte Dufour, IPHR Director. “Thedefence’s motions are routinely rejected, whichruns contrary to the principle of equality of arms - a cornerstone of theright to a fair trial - and indicates that the judges in these trials areopenly siding with the prosecution”.
One of Azerbaijan’s most prominent investigativejournalists, Ismayilova is also among the most courageous, one of very fewwilling to report on risky topics such as human rights violations andcorruption. In the months leading to her arrest in December 2014, Ismayilovawas aware she could be targeted, which she linked to her investigations intothe business interests of President Ilham Aliyev’s family. Despite being warnednot to return to the country from trips abroad – during which she spoke atinternational organisations on abuses taking place in Azerbaijan – Ismayilovapersisted, speaking out critically until her arrest, and even afterwards, inletters smuggled out from jail.
Sport for Rights believes that in jailing Ismayilova,the Azerbaijani authorities sought to silence her critical voice before thecountry faced increased international media attention during the inaugural EuropeanGames, which took place in Baku in June 2015. Sport for Rights has referred toIsmayilova as a “Prisoner of the European Games” – along with human rightsdefenders Leyla and Arif Yunus, Rasul Jafarov, and Intigam Aliyev, who werealso arrested in the run-up to the games.
“For her thorough and fearless investigativejournalism, which has uncovered corruption at the highest levels of power,Khadija has earned numerous accolades, including PEN American’s 2015 BarbaraGoldsmith/Freedom to Write Award”, said Karin DeutschKarlekar, director of Free Expression programmes at PEN American Center. “However, speaking the truth has graveconsequences in Azerbaijan, where independent reporting has been all butextinguished through farcical trials, imprisonment, murder, and other forms ofsevere harassment. We demand that the government cease this unprecedentedwitch-hunt against journalists and their family members, and enable Azerbaijanicitizens to freely access a range of news and information”.
The harsh sentencing of Ismayilova is the latest incidentin an unprecedented crackdown being carried out by the Azerbaijani authoritiesto silence all forms of criticism and dissent. Less than two weeks before Ismayilova’sverdict, the same court sentenced human rights defenders Leyla and Arif Yunus to8.5 and seven years in jail, respectively. Authorities have so far disregardedthe widespread calls for humanitarian release of the couple, who both sufferserious health problems that continue to worsen in custody. Human rightsdefenders Intigam Aliyev, Rasul Jafarov, and Anar Mammadli are also servingstaggering sentences of 7.5 years, six years and three months (recently reducedfrom 6.5 years by the appellate court), and 5.5 years, respectively, all onpolitically motivated charges.
The situation for journalists is also dire. On 9August, journalist and chairman of the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and SafetyRasim Aliyev died in hospital after being severely beaten the previous day.Aliyev had reported receiving threats in the weeks leading to the attack, andthe police failed to provide him with protection. This attack followed anearlier high-level threat against an Azerbaijani journalist, Berlin-basedMeydan TV Director Emin Milli, in connection with his critical reporting on theEuropean Games. In addition to Ismayilova, journalists Nijat Aliyev, ArazGuliyev, Parviz Hashimli, Seymur Hezi, Hilal Mammadov, Rauf Mirkadirov, andTofig Yagublu are also behind bars on politically motivated charges.
The Sport for Rights coalition reiterates its call forIsmayilova’s immediate and unconditional release, as well as the release of theother jailed journalists and human rights defenders in Azerbaijan. Thecoalition also calls for the Azerbaijani government to take immediate andconcrete steps to improve the broader human rights situation in the country, particularlyin the context of the upcoming November parliamentary elections. Without independentmedia coverage, including critical voices such as Ismayilova’s, the electionscannot be considered free and fair. Finally, Sport for Rights calls for greatervigilance by the international community to developments in the country, andincreased efforts to hold the Azerbaijani government accountable to itsinternational human rights obligations.
Supporting organisations:
ARTICLE 19
Civil Rights Defenders
Committee to Protect Journalists
Freedom Now
Front Line Defenders
Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights
Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF)
Index on Censorship
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH),within the framework of the Observatory for theProtection of Human Rights Defenders
International Media Support (IMS)
International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR)
NESEHNUTI
Norwegian Helsinki Committee
PEN American Center
People in Need
Platform
Polish Green Network
Solidarity with Belarus Information Office WorldOrganisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatoryfor the Protectionof Human Rights Defenders