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AZERBAIJAN FAILS TO INVESTIGATE HARASSMENT OF OCCRP REPORTER
By Valerie Hopkins
hetq
02:20, April 7, 2012
Azerbaijani journalist and OCCRP Regional CoordinatorKhadija
Ismayilova's requests for a full investigation into her harassment and
defamation have been unmet by the Azerbaijani government, Isamyilova
said at a press conference today.
"The evidence shows that the government agencies were involved in
the crime and prosecutor's office fails to act as an independent
investigative body," said Ismayilova.
Results of an investigation she conducted with her lawyer and other
journalists revealed that illegal monitoring of the journalist
began just days after she published an story about the Azerbaijani
President's family's businesses.
On March 7, Ismayilova received an envelope with pictures of a
personal nature and a note saying, "whore, behave, or you will be
defamed." A week after Ismayilova went public about the threats and
asked the Prosecutor General to open an investigation, the pictures
were published in newspapers connected to the ruling political party
and a private video of her was published on a website registered to
a United States IP address.
The investigation was opened only two days later, on March 16.
Ismayilova demanded that the government open an investigation on
charges of harassment of a journalist and invasion of privacy, but
the prosecutor's office is only investigating the latter.
With the help of a team of journalists and lawyers, Ismayilova
conducted her own filmed investigation and found numerous wires in
the walls and ceilings of her bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. The
wires found are used for telephone communications, web cameras,
audio equipment, and electricity. New paint had been added to cover
up where the spy cameras had been placed.
The day after the initial search, Ismayilova said in the news
conference, she returned to the apartment with a group of journalists
and found that her home had been broken into again since their last
inspection. Lights left on and gloves were left in the kitchen that
were not left by Ismayilova or anyone she knew.
Ismayilova said that on March 19, she showed the results of her
investigation to the Prosecutor's Office but they refused to comment
on it, and refused to invite a telecommunications expert to examine
the wires, Ismayilova said.
Ismayilova said her written requests for a detailed technical
examination by the Ministry of Communications, Baku Telefon
Communication Unit or the state-owned Automated Telephone Station
(ATS) were refused. Finally the investigator Nail Aliyev, a relative
of the security ministry chief, agreed to let a service man from the
ATS examine the connections.
The service man told investigators that last summer he received orders
from the ATS to connect a land line phone cable to the apartment. He
said he had been met by a middle aged man and was not allowed to enter
the apartment, where he heard sounds of construction. Ismayilova said
this occured while she was out of the country, just days after she
published a story implicating the first family in the ownership of
the countries monopoly mobile phone carrier.
In the news conference Ismayilova said that the investigator did
not include the serviceman's testimony in their report and refused
to investigate who ordered the additional phone line to be installed
in Ismayilova's apartment.
Ismayilova is a reporter for Radio Free Europe and hosts a popular
radio show. She is also the regional coordinator for the Caucasus
for OCCRP.
http://www.reportingproject.net/occrp/index.php/en/ccwatch/cc-watch-indepth/1474-azerbaijan-fails-to-investigate-harassment-of-occrp-reporter
By Valerie Hopkins
hetq
02:20, April 7, 2012
Azerbaijani journalist and OCCRP Regional CoordinatorKhadija
Ismayilova's requests for a full investigation into her harassment and
defamation have been unmet by the Azerbaijani government, Isamyilova
said at a press conference today.
"The evidence shows that the government agencies were involved in
the crime and prosecutor's office fails to act as an independent
investigative body," said Ismayilova.
Results of an investigation she conducted with her lawyer and other
journalists revealed that illegal monitoring of the journalist
began just days after she published an story about the Azerbaijani
President's family's businesses.
On March 7, Ismayilova received an envelope with pictures of a
personal nature and a note saying, "whore, behave, or you will be
defamed." A week after Ismayilova went public about the threats and
asked the Prosecutor General to open an investigation, the pictures
were published in newspapers connected to the ruling political party
and a private video of her was published on a website registered to
a United States IP address.
The investigation was opened only two days later, on March 16.
Ismayilova demanded that the government open an investigation on
charges of harassment of a journalist and invasion of privacy, but
the prosecutor's office is only investigating the latter.
With the help of a team of journalists and lawyers, Ismayilova
conducted her own filmed investigation and found numerous wires in
the walls and ceilings of her bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. The
wires found are used for telephone communications, web cameras,
audio equipment, and electricity. New paint had been added to cover
up where the spy cameras had been placed.
The day after the initial search, Ismayilova said in the news
conference, she returned to the apartment with a group of journalists
and found that her home had been broken into again since their last
inspection. Lights left on and gloves were left in the kitchen that
were not left by Ismayilova or anyone she knew.
Ismayilova said that on March 19, she showed the results of her
investigation to the Prosecutor's Office but they refused to comment
on it, and refused to invite a telecommunications expert to examine
the wires, Ismayilova said.
Ismayilova said her written requests for a detailed technical
examination by the Ministry of Communications, Baku Telefon
Communication Unit or the state-owned Automated Telephone Station
(ATS) were refused. Finally the investigator Nail Aliyev, a relative
of the security ministry chief, agreed to let a service man from the
ATS examine the connections.
The service man told investigators that last summer he received orders
from the ATS to connect a land line phone cable to the apartment. He
said he had been met by a middle aged man and was not allowed to enter
the apartment, where he heard sounds of construction. Ismayilova said
this occured while she was out of the country, just days after she
published a story implicating the first family in the ownership of
the countries monopoly mobile phone carrier.
In the news conference Ismayilova said that the investigator did
not include the serviceman's testimony in their report and refused
to investigate who ordered the additional phone line to be installed
in Ismayilova's apartment.
Ismayilova is a reporter for Radio Free Europe and hosts a popular
radio show. She is also the regional coordinator for the Caucasus
for OCCRP.
http://www.reportingproject.net/occrp/index.php/en/ccwatch/cc-watch-indepth/1474-azerbaijan-fails-to-investigate-harassment-of-occrp-reporter