Strasbourg / 10.01.19 / Turan: The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on January 10 announced the decision on the complaint of the journalist Khadija Ismayilova against the government of Azerbaijan.
The complaint was filed due to an ineffective investigation into the violation of privacy secrets, initiated in connection with the spread of video frames concerning the journalist's personal life.
The European Court found a violation of the rights of Ismayilova under Articles 8 (respect for personal and family life) and 10 (freedom of expression), the European Convention on Human Rights.
At the same time, the ECHR did not consider it necessary to conduct an investigation into a violation of Article 6 (fair trial) of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The court set a compensation for the journalist at 15,000 euros and another 1,750 euros for legal costs.
Since 2005, Ismayilova has been engaged in investigative journalism and harshly criticized the authorities.
In 2010-2012 she published in the Azerbaijani service of Radio Liberty a series of investigations about corruption in the ruling elite of Azerbaijan. In 2012, she was blackmailed about her personal life. In an anonymous letter, she was requested to stop investigations. After her refusal, video frames were posted on the Internet. Following this, three pro-government newspapers published articles in which they accused Ismayilova of lack of professionalism, bias towards government and immorality.
Ismayilova discovered hidden cameras and other equipment in her apartment, including a second telephone line.
The prosecutor's office allegedly launched an investigation, but it turned out to be unsuccessful. The journalist appealed the inaction of the prosecutor's office in the local courts, but in vain, after which she appealed to the ECHR.
This is the second decision of the ECHR on the complaint of Ismayilova. The previous one was taken in April 2017 on a complaint of detention and a fine during a peaceful rally in Baku in January 2013
However, the authorities did not execute this decision and blocked her accounts so that she could not receive either compensation under the ECHR verdict or monetary awards awarded by international organizations.
Note that the ECHR also contains several complaints from the journalist, including her arrest in December 2014 and subsequent imprisonment. -16D-
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