Indictment Announced at Khadija Ismailova’s Trial (Photo)

 Holding closed trials of government critics is becoming a tradition in Azerbaijan. So, today at the trial of the journalist Khadija Ismayilova even her mother was not let into the room, not to mention journalists and human rights defenders.


Khadija Ismayilova was arrested on December 5, 2014 on charges of incitement to suicide attempts of the journalist Tural Mustafayev. However, on February 13, prosecutors filed new charges under three articles - 179.3.2 (embezzlement on a large scale), 192.2.2 (illegal business with extraction of large income) 213.1 (tax evasion) and 308.2 (abuse of power, resulting in grave consequences) of the Criminal Code. She denies the charges and says that she is being persecuted for investigative reporting of corruption in the higher echelons of power