Eleven leading international human rights organizations have urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to stop a blackmail campaign against Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova, the RFE/RL reports. In the letter, addressed to President Aliyev and Prosecutor General Zakir Garalov, the group calls for a prompt and thorough investigation into the threats made against Khadija Ismayilova.
“The Republic of Azerbaijan has unambiguous international obligations to respect and protect both the right to privacy and freedom of expression, fundamental human rights, essential to both effective functioning of a democratic society and individual human dignity. While Azerbaijan’s leadership has expressed its commitment to democratization and human rights on numerous occasions in the past, much needs to be done to live up to these commitments”, reads the letter.
The letter (Article 19) was signed by the Civil Rights Defenders, Human Rights House Foundation, Human Rights Watch, International Media Support, Media Diversity Institute, Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Open Society Foundations, PEN International, People in Need Organization, Reporters without Borders.