Investigation Qualifies Attack on Gunay Ismayilova as Hooliganism

The Azerbaijani Interior Ministry three days later responded to the attack on the human rights activist Gunay Ismayilova.

The spokesman of the agency said that on January 28 the Nizami district police office in Baku initiated a criminal case under Article 221.3 (hooliganism) of the Criminal Code. However, the press service stated the inadmissibility of attempts to "politicization of the crime."

In turn, Ismailova told Turan that on January 29 she was invited to the 24th police station, but she was not told anything about the criminal case.

On January 30 Ismayilova was again summoned to the police to "compile the identikit" of the intruder.

She believes that the attacker pursued the goal of causing bodily harm to her, because he had some subject in his hand, with which he tried to hit the human rights defender. However, he failed to do it, as Ismayilova began to break out of his hands and was able to call for help.

Ismayilova believes that the attack could be linked to her human rights work and could have a purpose to intimidate her or temporarily deprive her of the ability to work.

Concern about the attack on the human rights activist was expressed by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatovic. She called on the Azerbaijani authorities to promptly and thoroughly investigate and secure Ismayilova.

* At 20:30 on January 26 an unknown man 28-30 years old attacked Ismayilova. He grabbed her by the throat, trying to hit her. Ismayilova pulled away and began shouting, after which the neighbors ran out and the attacker fled.

Ismayilova was Deputy Director of the Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety (IRFS). Currently, she protects the rights of this institution.

In October 2014, she published a critical article in the New York Times about the suppression of civil society in Azerbaijan. -06B-