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OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović released a statement condemning the arrest of the Azerbaijani independent investigative journalist Khadija Ismailova. The statement is posted on OSCE official website.

“The arrest of Ismailova is nothing but orchestrated intimidation, which is a part of the ongoing campaign aimed at silencing her free and critical voice,” she said. Mijatović also urged the Azerbaijani authorities to stop that practice calling it “detrimental to media freedom.”

The statement proceeds on enumerating the recent cases of arrests and lengthy prison sentences handed down to journalists and free speech advocates in Azerbaijan. Namely, Rasul Jafarov, free speech advocate, on charges of abuse of power and tax evasion;
Seymur Hazi, columnist for Azadliq newspaper, on a charge of hooliganism;
Omar Mamedov and Abdul Abilov, bloggers, on charges of illegal storage and sale of drugs; Parviz Hashimli, journalist, on charges of smuggling and illegal storage and sale of firearms; Nijat Aliyev, editor-in-chief of azadxeber.org news website, on various charges, including drug possession and incitement of hatred; Sardar Alibeyli, editor-in-chief of P.S. Nota newspaper, on charges of hooliganism; Rashad Ramazanov, an independent blogger, on charges of illegal storage and sale of drugs, and others.

Another condemning statement regarding the arrest of Ismailova was posted on the official website of the Human Rights House Foundation.

“This sentence does not come as a surprise: we assumed the authorities wanted to silence Khadija Ismailova,” Maria Dahle, Executive Director of the Human Rights House Foundation, said.

“The arrest has a chilling effect: one must now consider that every independent civil society leader in Azerbaijan is a target and can be arrested at any given time for any charge, as ludicrous as one can imagine,” she added calling on the international community and especially the Council of Europe to “get a foot in the door” to stop the repression, including by stopping further cooperation with Azerbaijan's authorities.
The statement notes that Khadija Ismailova was arrested the day after the head of the Presidential Administration Ramiz Mehdiyev published a lengthy article in which he extensively refers to freedom of expression organisations, as well as Meydan TV with which Khadija Imsailova has cooperated. In his article Ramiz Mehdiyev specifically calls Khadija Ismailova out as “wishing to please her foreign bosses.”
In case Ismailova is convicted, she may get up to seven years in prison.
The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Anne Brasseur has also expressed her concerns on the arrest of the Azerbaijani journalist Khadija Ismayilova, reads the PACE official site.
“Khadija Ismayilova is one the long-standing partners of the Council of Europe. I met her in my office in Strasbourg during the Assembly’s last part session and I was shocked by the information she provided to me regarding pressure and intimidation exercised against her, as well as other human rights defenders in Azerbaijan. Taking into account the recent arrests of prominent human rights defenders – many of whom are valuable partners of the Council of Europe – I have to express my deep concern at her arrest,” Anne Brasseur said.

PACE president notes that as a member state of the Council of Europe, Azerbaijan must respect the standards of the ECHR.

“I urge the competent authorities of Azerbaijan to ensure that the standards of the Convention are respected in any judicial and legal proceedings against Ms Ismayilova as well as against other human rights activists”, declared PACE President.