Azerbaijan Supreme Court Orders Release of Khadija Ismayilova

The Supreme Court of Azerbaijan has ruled for the release of an Azerbaijani journalist who had previously been sentenced to 6.5 years in prison. Khadija Ismayilova, a reporter for the Azerbaijani service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was arrested in December 2014 and convicted on four charges, including 'embezzlement' and 'abuse of power,' receiving a 7.5-year prison sentence. The appellate court upheld this sentence. However, on Wednesday, June 5, the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan reduced the sentence to 3 years and 6 months of suspended imprisonment, leading to her release. She was acquitted of two of the charges but was convicted of 'tax evasion' and 'illegal business activities' with a suspended sentence. Ismayilova's arrest had sparked a wave of global criticism against the Azerbaijani government and judicial system. Two months prior, several journalists and political activists in Azerbaijan were released under a presidential pardon, but Khadija Ismayilova's name was not included in the list of pardoned individuals. Ismayilova is known for investigating and exposing the economic activities of the President of Azerbaijan and his family. She also hosts a radio program dedicated to broadcasting reports from journalists investigating corruption and organized crime. The Azerbaijani service of Radio Free Europe has reported that, according to the court's ruling, Ms. Ismayilova will not be allowed to leave the country for 5 years without permission from official state bodies.