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Khadija Ismayilova is ''black sheep'' in Ilham Aliyev's friendly herd
11:45 13/12/2014 >> SOCIETY
On December 5 morning the news feed of the world media was covered
with the following news: the well-known Azerbaijani journalist Khadija
Ismayilova who was cooperating with the "Radio Liberty" and other
international media, was arrested for a term of 2 months on charges of
"incitement to suicide" of his colleague Tural Mustafayev.
Ismayilova's lawyer, and then the fellows of the journalist called the
accusations "absurd." As it turned out, Mustafayev, who allegedly
tried to commit suicide in public, diluting the poison with yogurt,
has long been known in journalistic circles, as an alcoholic, and had
serious mental problems.
In Azerbaijani realities the case of Khadija Ismayilova is not unique,
but it is worth of special attention. Today she is in fact the only
author-journalist in Azerbaijan who makes great journalistic
investigations and examinations about the corruption in the highest
echelons of power. Because of her high-profile articles amendments
have been made twice in the Azerbaijani legislation prohibiting the
provision of personal information about officials and their families.
Employees of the Ministry of National Security of Azerbaijan
threatened and blackmailed her with sex scandal, intimidated, and even
accused her of being of "Armenian origin." All the power of the wrath
of the Aliyev regime collapsed on the head of an independent
journalist who dared to lift the veil of secrecy of sources of
financial prosperity of the ruling elite. As a result of persecutions,
in fact by the efforts of the ruling regime of Baku, Khadija became
the symbol of the struggle for freedom of expression in this
authoritarian country. Representatives of international organizations
began inviting her to international conferences, awarded prestigious
rewards, international organizations considered her assessments.
It is not surprising that her arrest was condemned by the State
Department, the OSCE and the Council of Europe and numerous human
rights organizations. It was the wish of Ismayilova who wrote an open
letter calling on the international community before her arrest: if
you want to help either protest loudly, not in the corridors, or do
nothing at all. And her appeal was heard. Rally in support of
Azerbaijani journalist were held in the US, Moldova, Georgia.
Like any citizen of Azerbaijan, Ismayilova long before her arrest
understood the hopelessness of her situation. She was not allowed to
leave the country, she was shadowed, provocations were prepared
against her. Earlier Ismayilova was summoned for questioning, accusing
her for revealing a state secret in a conversation with two American
officials, whom she met in Baku.
On the eve of the arrest of Khadija Ismayilova, the head of the
Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev published a
60-page article in which he called Ismayilova a "sample of a
journalist working against the government." With such a label on the
reputation, nothing would save her, neither the statement of the US
State Department nor formal appeals by international organizations to
which the official Baku has long topped listening to.
At the same time, Baku spends billions of dollars abroad to create an
image of a secular, civilized and adequate regime, however they
foolishly fail the task every time, attracting the negative attention
of the world press on Azerbaijan, firmly inscribing the perception of
ordinary people, as "oil sultanate", with all the accompanying
attributes: Heydar Aliyev - cult of personality of the "father of the
nation", repressions against social injustice of disgruntled citizens
and clamp-down on dissent in Orwellian style. It is enough to recall
the official ban on presentation of Hollywood comedy "The Dictator" in
Azerbaijan, a satirical story, where apparently the Azerbaijani ruling
regime spotted parallels with the realities of Azerbaijan.
It is impossible to hide the odiousness of the regimes from prying
eyes, either behind the glare of the fashionable boutiques in Baku, or
behind the bribes and "donations", or caviar per kilogram, which has
become the visit card of the Aliyev regime and a brand at the same
time, which embodies the untidiness of foreign policy of the rich
authoritarian states.
"The charges against me are fraud; it is a dirty and black PR. Despite
all of this, I am strong. I know it's not easy for you too. But do not
be discouraged. Continue your work. It is important that each
continued his work. We wait for new investigations from our colleagues
, from the human rights activists - new initiatives. The work must go
on," said Ismayilova during the phone interview from prison given to
the "Radio Liberty".
http://www.panorama.am/en/popular/2014/12/13/ismayilova-arrest/
11:45 13/12/2014 >> SOCIETY
On December 5 morning the news feed of the world media was covered
with the following news: the well-known Azerbaijani journalist Khadija
Ismayilova who was cooperating with the "Radio Liberty" and other
international media, was arrested for a term of 2 months on charges of
"incitement to suicide" of his colleague Tural Mustafayev.
Ismayilova's lawyer, and then the fellows of the journalist called the
accusations "absurd." As it turned out, Mustafayev, who allegedly
tried to commit suicide in public, diluting the poison with yogurt,
has long been known in journalistic circles, as an alcoholic, and had
serious mental problems.
In Azerbaijani realities the case of Khadija Ismayilova is not unique,
but it is worth of special attention. Today she is in fact the only
author-journalist in Azerbaijan who makes great journalistic
investigations and examinations about the corruption in the highest
echelons of power. Because of her high-profile articles amendments
have been made twice in the Azerbaijani legislation prohibiting the
provision of personal information about officials and their families.
Employees of the Ministry of National Security of Azerbaijan
threatened and blackmailed her with sex scandal, intimidated, and even
accused her of being of "Armenian origin." All the power of the wrath
of the Aliyev regime collapsed on the head of an independent
journalist who dared to lift the veil of secrecy of sources of
financial prosperity of the ruling elite. As a result of persecutions,
in fact by the efforts of the ruling regime of Baku, Khadija became
the symbol of the struggle for freedom of expression in this
authoritarian country. Representatives of international organizations
began inviting her to international conferences, awarded prestigious
rewards, international organizations considered her assessments.
It is not surprising that her arrest was condemned by the State
Department, the OSCE and the Council of Europe and numerous human
rights organizations. It was the wish of Ismayilova who wrote an open
letter calling on the international community before her arrest: if
you want to help either protest loudly, not in the corridors, or do
nothing at all. And her appeal was heard. Rally in support of
Azerbaijani journalist were held in the US, Moldova, Georgia.
Like any citizen of Azerbaijan, Ismayilova long before her arrest
understood the hopelessness of her situation. She was not allowed to
leave the country, she was shadowed, provocations were prepared
against her. Earlier Ismayilova was summoned for questioning, accusing
her for revealing a state secret in a conversation with two American
officials, whom she met in Baku.
On the eve of the arrest of Khadija Ismayilova, the head of the
Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev published a
60-page article in which he called Ismayilova a "sample of a
journalist working against the government." With such a label on the
reputation, nothing would save her, neither the statement of the US
State Department nor formal appeals by international organizations to
which the official Baku has long topped listening to.
At the same time, Baku spends billions of dollars abroad to create an
image of a secular, civilized and adequate regime, however they
foolishly fail the task every time, attracting the negative attention
of the world press on Azerbaijan, firmly inscribing the perception of
ordinary people, as "oil sultanate", with all the accompanying
attributes: Heydar Aliyev - cult of personality of the "father of the
nation", repressions against social injustice of disgruntled citizens
and clamp-down on dissent in Orwellian style. It is enough to recall
the official ban on presentation of Hollywood comedy "The Dictator" in
Azerbaijan, a satirical story, where apparently the Azerbaijani ruling
regime spotted parallels with the realities of Azerbaijan.
It is impossible to hide the odiousness of the regimes from prying
eyes, either behind the glare of the fashionable boutiques in Baku, or
behind the bribes and "donations", or caviar per kilogram, which has
become the visit card of the Aliyev regime and a brand at the same
time, which embodies the untidiness of foreign policy of the rich
authoritarian states.
"The charges against me are fraud; it is a dirty and black PR. Despite
all of this, I am strong. I know it's not easy for you too. But do not
be discouraged. Continue your work. It is important that each
continued his work. We wait for new investigations from our colleagues
, from the human rights activists - new initiatives. The work must go
on," said Ismayilova during the phone interview from prison given to
the "Radio Liberty".
http://www.panorama.am/en/popular/2014/12/13/ismayilova-arrest/