Arrest of Khadija Ismayilova, Azerbaijani Journalist of Radio Free Europe in Baku

Khadija Ismayilova, a journalist for the Azerbaijani section of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was arrested on Friday, December 14, in Baku. Ms. Ismayilova was detained following a complaint filed by the Baku Prosecutor's Office and, according to criminal law, may remain in custody for up to two months before trial. According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, under Article 125 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, the pre-trial detention period is two months, and if the charges against Khadija Ismayilova are proven, she could face a prison sentence of three to seven years. Elton Guliyev, her lawyer, called the prosecutor's allegations 'baseless' and stated that Khadija claimed these charges were made due to her journalistic activities against her. Meanwhile, Dunja Mijatović, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, condemned Ms. Ismayilova's arrest, stating: 'The arrest of Khadija Ismayilova is merely a coordinated action to intimidate and part of a plan to silence her free and investigative voice.' Khadija Ismayilova faced her arrest warrant after being summoned to the Prosecutor's Office. She was then transferred to the Sabail District Court in Baku. Her summons and arrest followed a complaint by an individual named Tural Mustafaev, who claimed that Ms. Ismayilova had pushed him towards suicide. Khadija Ismayilova is known for investigating and exposing the economic activities of the President of Azerbaijan and his family. She is also the host of a radio program dedicated to broadcasting reports by journalists investigating corruption and organized crime. The day before her arrest, Ramiz Mehdiyev, the Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan, accused her of treason and accused the Azerbaijani section of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (Azadliq) of spying for foreigners. In a 60-page statement titled 'Global Order and Double Standards,' Mr. Mehdiyev wrote: 'The main concern of the opposition is to serve their foreign masters and maintain good relations with them. One of the best examples of this is Khadija Ismayilova. She and her colleagues carry out anti-Azerbaijani programs, make baseless statements, and openly damage the reputation of reputable figures in society. It is clear that this behavior pleases Khadija Ismayilova's supporters abroad.' Khadija Ismayilova's professional record has earned her the title of 'Brave Thinker' from The Atlantic magazine. She won the Eastern European Free Media Award in 2012 and received the Courage in Journalism Award from the International Women's Media Foundation. She also received international recognition for her work on the 'opaque business activities' of the President of Azerbaijan's family. Khadija Ismayilova has been a target of political attacks from state-affiliated media since January 2012 and has been threatened with physical harm. Following a meeting with U.S. Senate representatives in Baku in February of this year, Azerbaijani state media accused her of spying for the U.S.