The European Court of Human Rights issued a ruling on Tuesday finding that Azerbaijan’s legal actions against investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova were designed to “silence and punish her for her journalistic activities.” The court determined that criminal proceedings launched between 2014 and 2015 were motivated by improper reasons.
Ismayilova, a prominent figure in exposing corruption within the highest levels of Azerbaijan’s government, was convicted on charges of tax evasion and illegal entrepreneurship for operating without media accreditation. She was detained in December 2014 and released in May 2016.
The Strasbourg-based court criticized the judicial decisions as “flawed with arbitrariness,” denying the journalist a fair trial. It noted that one charge—the lack of accreditation—was directly tied to her reporting work, and Baku failed to demonstrate that the prosecution was unrelated to her role as a journalist.
As a result, Azerbaijan must pay Ismayilova 12,000 euros in moral damages and 4,000 euros in legal costs. The court has previously ruled against Baku in other cases involving Ismayilova, including her arrest, pre-trial detention, and an invasion of privacy during a smear campaign.
Ismayilova has faced renewed restrictions, such as a travel ban in 2024, amid a broader crackdown on independent media. Since late 2023, authorities have detained at least 28 journalists, including colleagues from Toplum TV.