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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| I received a death threat from my president for criticising Azerbaijan – any questions? | I received a death threat from my president for criticising Azerbaijan – any questions? |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 11.52am GMT11:52 | |
| Khadija Ismayilov: letters from behind bars | |
| Imprisoned Azerbaijani journalist Khadija Ismayilova was in a soundproof isolation booth in Baku’s court of appeal when she realised she had an opportunity to file her latest report on human rights abuses in Azerbaijan, Radio Free Europe’s Azerbaijani Service reports. | |
| Knowing she could be silenced by the judge at any second, she hastily scribbled two sentences and pressed them to the glass: | |
| On Sunday, underage detainees in Cells 63 and 64 of Bloc 2 were banging on the doors in protest. They were beaten and illegally moved into solitary confinement. | |
| To mark the first anniversary of her imprisonment on Saturday, Ismayilova passed out another message through her family from women’s prison No. 4 in Baku – just one of the letters smuggled out during her year’s incarceration. | |
| I am still on my journey... I continue my fight. As on the first day that I arrived in jail, I still have my smile and my sense of humour. At my trials, I feel as though I have been the winner. | |
| In February she wrote: | |
| It is not easy at all to move justice forward, but always worth trying. Even when the result is a failure, for the sake of justice, for our own sake, ‘what for’ is more important than ‘how’ and ‘when’. | |
| In March, Ismayilova described how the authorities denied her visits from relatives and lawyers: | |
| The fight between good and evil goes on, and the most important thing is that this fight should not end … Prison is not frightening for those trying to right a twisted scale, or for those who are subject to threats for doing the right thing. We see clearly what we must fight for. | |
| The authorities have tried to stop Ismayilova filing reports from jail and most letters she has written have been seized. | |
| On several occasions prison authorities have confiscated her notes – including trial material she was preparing for her defence. | |
| Meanwhile, she is appealing against her conviction and says she is eager to adapt to life in prison No. 4. She wants to be housed with other prisoners so that she can document any rights abuses she encounters there. | |
| 6.14pm GMT18:14 | 6.14pm GMT18:14 |
| I received a death threat from my president for criticising Azerbaijan – any questions? | I received a death threat from my president for criticising Azerbaijan – any questions? |
| Maeve Shearlaw | Maeve Shearlaw |
| Due to his career speaking out against the government – which included a video mocking the president’s penchant for German donkeys – Emin Milli is no longer able to call Azerbaijan home. | Due to his career speaking out against the government – which included a video mocking the president’s penchant for German donkeys – Emin Milli is no longer able to call Azerbaijan home. |
| Milli and his colleague Adnan Hajizada, who became know as the donkey bloggers, spent 16 months in prison on “hooliganism” charges for their trouble. | Milli and his colleague Adnan Hajizada, who became know as the donkey bloggers, spent 16 months in prison on “hooliganism” charges for their trouble. |
| According to rights monitors Freedom House, Azerbaijan has a dismal record when it comes to freedom of the press. The environment has deteriorated sharply in recent years, with violence and prison sentences the norm for opposition journalists. | According to rights monitors Freedom House, Azerbaijan has a dismal record when it comes to freedom of the press. The environment has deteriorated sharply in recent years, with violence and prison sentences the norm for opposition journalists. |
| Free Khadija | Free Khadija |
| Investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova was arrested a year ago on Saturday, and later sentenced to seven-and-half years for “economic crimes” – charges she has said are politically motivated. | Investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova was arrested a year ago on Saturday, and later sentenced to seven-and-half years for “economic crimes” – charges she has said are politically motivated. |
| Previously Ismayilova had said that if an arrest was the price to pay for exposing human rights then it was worth it. | Previously Ismayilova had said that if an arrest was the price to pay for exposing human rights then it was worth it. |
| Related: Silence over European Games in Azerbaijan is a grim indication of future | Owen Gibson | Related: Silence over European Games in Azerbaijan is a grim indication of future | Owen Gibson |
| With Ismayilova and many of her contemporaries in jail, Azerbaijan hosted the inaugural European Games, has been an active member on the Council of Europe and set its sights on hosting a leg of the European Grand Prix in June. | With Ismayilova and many of her contemporaries in jail, Azerbaijan hosted the inaugural European Games, has been an active member on the Council of Europe and set its sights on hosting a leg of the European Grand Prix in June. |
| @MeydanTV 's 4 journalists have not been officially allowed today to leave #Azerbaijan #TravelBan #EuropeanGames pic.twitter.com/DkEKGMuj0k | @MeydanTV 's 4 journalists have not been officially allowed today to leave #Azerbaijan #TravelBan #EuropeanGames pic.twitter.com/DkEKGMuj0k |
| Any questions? | Any questions? |
| Milli now runs an independent Azeri news site Meydan TV from Berlin where he has been afforded special protection, and Hajizada is studying in the US. | Milli now runs an independent Azeri news site Meydan TV from Berlin where he has been afforded special protection, and Hajizada is studying in the US. |
| In a new film about his life in exile Milli emphasises the importance of independent media outlets in holding the “mafia-style government” to account. | In a new film about his life in exile Milli emphasises the importance of independent media outlets in holding the “mafia-style government” to account. |
| He’ll join us for a live Q&A on Monday 7 December from 12pm - 1pm to answer your questions about Azerbaijan, being jailed and receiving death threats. | He’ll join us for a live Q&A on Monday 7 December from 12pm - 1pm to answer your questions about Azerbaijan, being jailed and receiving death threats. |
| He can also answer questions about the work of his colleagues including Ismayilova. | He can also answer questions about the work of his colleagues including Ismayilova. |
| Any questions? Post them in comments below or join us live on Friday. Alternatively you can tweet them @GuardianNewEast | Any questions? Post them in comments below or join us live on Friday. Alternatively you can tweet them @GuardianNewEast |
| Updated at 11.21am GMT | Updated at 11.21am GMT |