2014 Azerbaijan: Khajida Ismayilova
Writers in Prison Committee
To
President Ilham Aliyev Istiglaliyyat Street 19
1666 Baku
Republic of Azerbaijan
Oslo, November 10th
Your Excellency President Ilham Aliyev,
The Norwegian Writers in Prison Committee is deeply concerned at the continued pre-trial detention of investigative journalist, Khajida Ismayilova. We have reason to believe that the detention is politically motivated, and Khajida should therefore be let free of any charges.
We call on the Azerbaijani authorities to release her immediately and unconditionally and to drop the charge of inciting an attempted suicide.
We call on Azerbaijan to comply with its obligations under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (to which Azerbaijan is a state party) to protect the right to freedom of expression and cease its campaign of intimidation directed at opposition or critical voices.
Yours sincerely
Jørgen Lorentzen
Member of Writers in Prison Committee PEN Norway
COPY: The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Writers in Prison Committee, Norwegian PEN, Wergelandsveien 29, N-0167 Oslo, Norway * Tlf: +47 22607450 * E-post: pens /norskpen.no * www.norskpen.no
Norwegian PEN * Norwegian Association of Literary Translators * Norwegian Authors’ Union * Norwegian Non-fiction Writers And
Translators Association * Norwegian Writers for Children
