Azerbaijan: Court in Baku sentences investigative journalist Ismayilova to 7.5 years in prison

A court in Baku on Tuesday sentenced investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova to seven and a half years in prison on charges of tax evasion, abuse of authority, and illegal business, Radio Free Europe reported, as carried by the Patria News Agency.

The court acquitted Ismayilova of the first charge – incitement to suicide.

Investigative journalist and contributor to Radio Free Europe, Khadija Ismayilova, has been in custody since December 5 last year.

On Monday, during her closing statement at the trial, which the West and human rights organizations consider a politically motivated farce, she was interrupted several times.

She was interrupted when she spoke about her investigative work on the abuses and corruption of the family of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Khadija reiterated that all charges against her are politically motivated and that the real reason for the persecution is her investigative work.

Since the beginning of the trial on July 24, human rights groups and foreign ambassadors have not been allowed to attend the proceedings.

Last week, the prosecution requested a nine-year prison sentence for the charges brought against Khadija Ismayilova, reports NAP.