"Freedom House" highlights harassment of journalists in Azerbaijan

The international organization "Freedom House" is deeply concerned over attacks and intimidation of journalists in a number of OSCE member states, including in Azerbaijan. The human rights defenders called on the authorities to stop harassing journalists and the media. 

Azerbaijan is mentioned among the countries in which the problem of the journalists' safety is most acute. The document released by the "Freedom House" refers to slanderous campaigns aimed to intimidate female journalists. "One of the most notorious examples is a situation with Khadija Ismayilova, who was blackmailed in 2012 by dissemination of her private photos taken with a hidden camera shortly after her investigations into the huge financial assets of President Ilham Aliev," the "Freedom House" notes in its statement. 

Sevindj Osmangyzy, another Azerbaijani journalist, living in the United States, was also subjected to blackmail. After she posted on her Internet channel a series of films on corruption in the oil and gas sector of Azerbaijan, Sevindj Osmangyzy was threatened that her private photos would be posted on the Internet if she did not stop her journalistic investigations. 

In its statement, the "Freedom House" also mentions Ikram Ragimov, the editor-in-chief of the "realliq.info" website. 

Emin Guseinov, the director of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Security (IRFS), shares the concern expressed by the "Freedom House" over the attacks on journalists. 

"In addition to the two female journalists mentioned in the statement release by the 'Freedom House', freelance journalist Fatima Movlamly was also blackmailed by her private photos. Journalists are still being kept in prisons," Emin Guseinov said.