Azerbaijan court frees investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova

Khadija Ismayilova, an imprisoned Azeri investigative journalist, has been freed.

The journalist was charged for alleged misappropriation of property, abuse of position, illegal entrepreneurship and tax evasion. Critics of Ms Ismayilova’s seven-year sentence, however, argue that her imprisonment was connected to her journalism for Radio Free Liberty, which linked the family of president Ilham Aliyev to corruption.

After an appeal, the Azeri Supreme Court commuted her sentence to a suspended three-and-a-half year term.

“They dropped two charges and two charges are still remaining. I’m still convicted on illegal entrepreneurship and tax evasion and I haven’t been doing any entrepreneurship,” said Ms Ismayilova in an interview with the BBC. “The charges are false and illegal. So, I will of course go further to get them dropped as well.”

“This is a great day for Khadija, for all journalists and for free speech everywhere,” said Radio Liberty Editor-in-Chief, Nenad Pejić. “We are overjoyed for Khadija and her family and can’t wait for her to get back to work.”

Source: Moscow Times and BBC