Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards

The Right Livelihood Foundation stated on Friday 24 November that its 2017 prize winner from Azerbaijan, Khadija Ismayilova, would not be able to attend the 1 December award ceremony in Stockholm because of a travel ban linked to a suspended sentence she is serving. Khadija Ismayilova says that she is under the travel ban “because I criticize the government when it steals the people’s money.” Lawyers Colin Gonsalves from India and Yetnebersh Nigussie of Ethiopia share the cash award of 3 million kronor ($374,000) with Ismayilova. [https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2017/10/04/2017-right-livelihood-laureates-announcement-in-video/]

Ismayilova, Azerbaijan’s top investigative journalist, was convicted of tax evasion in 2015 in what was largely viewed as a payback for her work. She was released from prison six months later after a higher court commuted her 7 ½-year sentence and converted it into a suspended one. She is not legally allowed to travel outside the country while she is still serving the sentence. Ismayilova petitioned the court several times after her release to be allowed to travel outside the country but all of her requests have been denied.

[see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2015/12/18/azerbaijan-khadija-ismayilova-remains-in-jail-but-council-of-europe-takes-exceptional-step/]

http://www.tampabay.com/azeri-alternative-nobel-winner-barred-from-going-to-sweden-ap_worldd47dff8c0bb546d0a4570fdc94ad292a

This entry was posted on November 24, 2017 at 18:17 and is filed under awards, Human Rights Defenders.

Tags: Azerbaijan, freedom of expression, human rights awards, investigative journalist, Khadija Ismayilova, Right Livelihood Award, Sweden, travel ban