Khadija Ismayilova

Khadija Ismayilova is an Azerbaijani investigative journalist whose reporting exposed corruption and business interests linked to Azerbaijan’s ruling family and government.

Connect

Azerbaijani Laundromat: A network of secretive companies used to move billions of dollars through European banks between 2012 and 2014. Her reporting helped expose the money flows and political influence behind this scheme.
Press freedom in Azerbaijan: The conditions governing independent journalism, censorship, and media pluralism in Azerbaijan. Her prosecution and reporting became emblematic of the risks facing independent journalists there.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: An international broadcaster funded by the U.S. Congress to provide news in countries with restricted media. She worked for its Azerbaijani service, Radio Azadliq.
Offshore financial center: A jurisdiction offering financial services and corporate structures to nonresidents, often with limited public disclosure. Offshore entities can obscure ownership in the business networks she investigated.
Caviar diplomacy: Azerbaijan’s use of gifts, lobbying, and political hospitality to influence European institutions and officials. Her investigations examined how money and favors shaped foreign responses to Azerbaijan.
European Court of Human Rights: An international court that rules on alleged violations of the European Convention on Human Rights. It ruled on Azerbaijan’s failure to investigate threats against her.
Eynulla Fatullayev: An Azerbaijani journalist and editor who was imprisoned after publishing critical reporting. His case reflects the broader pressure on independent journalism in Azerbaijan.
Beneficial ownership: The identity of the person who ultimately owns, controls, or benefits from a company or asset. Tracing hidden beneficiaries helped connect companies to politically influential figures.
Ilham Aliyev: The president of Azerbaijan since 2003 and head of a family-centered political system. Her reporting scrutinized business interests linked to his family and administration.
Right to a fair trial: The legal guarantee that criminal proceedings must be impartial and follow established safeguards. Her conviction raised concerns about politically motivated prosecution and judicial fairness.