Colleagues, friends support journalist Khadija Ismayil in front of Azerbaijani Embassy in Washington, DC

Journalists, rights defenders and friends of investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova gathered outside the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Washington D.C., December 8, to support their imprisoned colleague and demand from the Azeri government to release her, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

An Azerbaijani court last week sentenced Ismayilova to two months of pre-trial detention for allegedly inciting a man to attempt suicide. If found guilty, she could face three to seven years in prison.

In Washington D.C., the protesters called Khadija's detention "unjust," saying that they believe it was "another attempt in a two-year campaign to silence her," because of her efforts to expose corruption in the country, as well as her advocacy on behalf of political prisoners.

"I know what Khadija would say to us right now: don't make an issue out of my case, make an issue out of all the political prisoners in Azerbaijan," said photojournalist Amanda Rivkin, an organizer of the protest. 

Patrick Butler, an award-winning former journalist who serves as Vice President for Programs for the International Center for Journalists, where Khadija also worked as an investigative journalist, described Ismayilova's arrest as "a blow on the press freedom all over the region."

"We're supportive of [Khadija] and her work," he said. "We call on the Aliyev government to release her."

The protesters delivered postcards to the Azerbaijani Embassy at the door.

A.Raufoglu

Washington, DC