A prominent journalist known for exposing corruption among Azerbaijan's ruling elite was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in jail today, in a case rights groups condemned as politically motivated.
Khadija Ismayilova, 39, who works for the US government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, has investigated government corruption, business dealings of the president and his family, as well as human rights abuses in Azerbaijan.
She was found guilty in Baku of embezzlement, illegal business activities, tax evasion and abuse of her position. State prosecutors had sought a nine year sentence.
Ismayilova's defence lawyer Fariz Namazly told Reuters she planned to appeal against the verdict. "The sentencing is not justified and has been pre-ordered," he said.
Rights activists criticised the ruling and said the case was part of a broader campaign by veteran Azeri President Ilham Aliyev to muzzle dissent, including by jailing his critics.
Amnesty International says Ismayilova is a prisoner of conscience and that the charges were trumped up to stop her corruption investigations.
Britain's minister for Europe, David Lidington, said he was troubled by the sentence. "I'm concerned by reports regarding the conduct of the trial and urge the Azerbaijani authorities to review her case in a transparent and fair manner," he said.
Baku says the country - a mainly Muslim former Soviet republic of 9 million people - enjoys full freedom of speech and a lively opposition media.
Several dozen of Ismayilova's supporters gathered outside the court, along with members of the opposition.
Ismayilova and her associates say she has long been the subject of a campaign to tarnish her reputation - including with the release of a sex tape.
"She has not committed any crimes. She is now under arrest because she strongly criticised the Aliyev regime and is one of the most popular journalists in Azerbaijan," Arif Khacili, leader of the opposition Musavat party, said outside the court.
Despite criticism of Azerbaijan's track-record on human rights, the West has courted it as an alternative to Russia as a supplier of oil and gas.
Ismayilova was found not guilty on a charge of inciting a former colleague at the radio station to attempt suicide.