The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today expressed serious concern following a court decision in Azerbaijan ordering a well-known investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova to pay a high fine for an alleged tax debt.
“It is deeply worrying that Khadija Ismayilova continues to face difficulties by state institutions, which hinder her professional activity as a journalist. In recent years, she has had to endure numerous cases of harassment and intimidation for her critical reporting,” Désir said. “I call to end these practices, as they are detrimental to freedom of expression in the country.”
On 21 December, the Baku Economic and Administrative Court, upon the claim filed by the Ministry of Taxes, ordered Ismayilova to pay fine of over 23 thousand euros for alleged failure to pay taxes while she worked as the local bureau chief for Radio Free Europe.
In her defence, Ismayilova claims amongst other things that she was not responsible for RFE financies and that there RFE and the Tax administration are in dispute over this issue as there is an agreement between Azerbaijan and RFE on tax exemption.
Earlier in December 2017, the Representative raised his concern regarding the suspension of Ismayilova’s bank accounts and called on the authorities to ensure that the journalist has access to all finances and can resume unrestricted travel (see: https://www.osce.org/fom/363206).