Relatives of Khadija Ismayilova and journalists not admitted into courtroom

In Baku, increased security measures are applied near the Court of Grave Crimes, where they are trying the journalist Khadija Ismayilova. Her relatives, civil society activists and reporters were no admitted into the courtroom.

Ismayilova is accused of bringing to a suicide attempts her former colleague Tural Mustafaev, who has publicly confessed that he had slandered Khadija. This case is combined with that of embezzlement, illegal entrepreneurship and abuse of power. Ismayilova faces up to 12 years in prison.

Holding in fact closed trials of critics of the authorities is becoming a sad tradition, Tatiana Kryuchkina, an employee of the Institute of Reporters' Freedom and Safety (IRFS), noted in her interview to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"At the previous session on Ismayilova's case, they let in at least two-three representatives of independent media; now they fail to do even this. The same picture is at the trial of Leyla Yunus and her husband Arif. Earlier, they at least created an imitation of some impartial justice; now, defendants are even deprived of the possibility to bring their positions to the public at courts," Ms Kryuchkina has commented on the situation.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.