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A group of journalists, human rights activists and friends of the arrested Azerbaijani journalist Khadija Ismayilova held a protest in front of the Azerbaijani Embassy in the US, Georgia and Moldova, "Radio Liberty" reports.

As noted in the article, the United States expressed support for the protesters and demanded to release Ismayilova immediately. Participants of the rally called Ismayilova’s arrest "unfair" and "another attempt to shut her mouth and prevent further exposure of corruption." As stated in the article, after the rally the participants passed the Azerbaijani embassy the picket of resolution.

"I know what Khadija would say us now: Do not make a problem out of my arrest - the problem is in the existence of political prisoners in Azerbaijan," said photojournalist Amanda Rivkin.

Similar protests demanding the immediate release of Khadija Ismailova have been held in Georgia and Moldova. As the correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot" reported, the action lasted about an hour in Tbilisi and passed without incidents. The protest has no organizers, it was initiated by journalists. During the event the signatures of participants were gathered in support of Ismayilova. The signatures later were passed to the Embassy of Azerbaijan.

As noted in the article, at the protest was also present Gaji Gajiyev an employee of the Azerbaijani representation of the independent TV channel MeydanTV, who reported that on December 9 the TV channel was forced to close its Baku based Office. "The things that go on in Azerbaijan are destructing the civil society. In fact, there is no civil society, NGOs have been intimidated, arrested and locked in different ways. And so, on paper, there are many NGOs that are funded by government and create a background, allegedly there is a non-governmental sector in our country," he noted.

According to Mai Metskhvarishvili, one of the participants of the actions, editor of the online publication Netgazeti, before this arrest there were many other arrests of bloggers, journalists and human rights activists too in Azerbaijan. "This series of arrests continue since August, and Khadija’s arrest became the last straw," said Metskhvarishvili.

Another participant of the rally Tamar Gurchiani told the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot" that the Azerbaijani government has committed a huge mistake by arresting the journalist. "The government repeats this mistake for a long time, arrests people who criticize him, journalists, human rights activists. The authorities must understand that the international community would not forgive," says Gurchiani.

As the "Echo of the Caucasus" notes, supporters of the journalists held a rally next the Azerbaijani Embassy in Chisinau. "A common action in support of Ismayilova was held today in Batumi at the consulate of Azerbaijan. Georgian journalists gathered here expressed solidarity to their Azerbaijani colleague and demanded an objective investigation," reads the article.

On December 5, morning, well-known Azerbaijani journalist Khadija Ismayilova was detained after being questioned at the prosecutor's office. Baku Sabail District Court made a decision to detain her for two months. She was charged with incitement to suicide. If the fault of the journalist is proven, then she can be punished by a term of 3 to 7 years in prison. Khadija Ismayilova has become the target of attacks of the government for her journalistic activities. Ismayilova is an author of a number of journalistic investigations of corruption in the highest echelons of power in Azerbaijan. In recent years, she is conducting a talk show in the Azerbaijani Service of “Radio Liberty”.