Many NGOs made common cause with the Center for Investigative Journalism in Moldova (CIJM) and journalist Khadija Ismayilova, after the team of CIJM was intimidated by a representative of the Embassy of Azerbaijan for placing a banner in support of Azerbaijani journalist Khadija Ismayilova, who was convicted for writing about the family of the President of Azerbaijan.  Representatives of NGOs organized a protest at the diplomatic mission on May 3. Thus, they marked the World Press Freedom Day.

Attending the protest were representatives of the Association of Independent Press, Association Promo-Lex, Transparency International, RISE Moldova, Center for Investigative Journalism etc. The participants in the protest held placards with the photo of the journalist and the banner which the CIJM put at its balcony and which discontented the representatives of the diplomatic mission. "It is a flash-mob to defend independent press. The investigative journalists are at risk in many world countries, including in Azerbaijan, where our colleague was convicted for writing about the family of the President of Azerbaijan. We want freedom for this journalist and to press in Moldova ", said Petru Macovei, executive director of the Association of Independent Press.

Romanian investigative journalist Paul Radu, a colleague of Khadija Ismayilova under Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, said that the situation of press freedom in Azerbaijan had worsened a lot. "I used to work with Khadija since 2006 and she is my best friend. The actions of the power from Baku are horrible. The Government undertook absurd actions before Khadija was convicted. For example, the access to register was completely closed after many journalists and activists were imprisoned. Khadija is strong and we continue our activity, we carry out investigations, we want to reveal information about the family of president Alyiev as we are encouraged by her”, said Paul Radu.

According to the journalist, free press will exist in future owing to informational technologies and honest journalists. "I believe that the situation will improve as  many people use ITs, online, so they have access to news and quality information ", says Paul Radu. 

Igor Munteanu, former Moldovan ambassador in the US joined the flash mob and pointed out that the gesture of the representative of the Embassy of Azerbaijani is not diplomatic. "So far, no action was taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration over this serious case. Sleep, Bobbie, sleep, sleep well... When they chant «free  Khadija and freedom to press » this means that nobody is allowed to violate the right to opinion and expression, right to information, right to life and physical and psychological integrity, right to defense both in the Republic of Moldova and in other emergent democracies ",  wrote Igor Munteanu  on his Facebook account.

Team of the Center for Investigative Journalism voiced solidarity with the journalist Khadija Ismayilova, sentenced to seven years and six months in prison. The Center displayed on Thursday, April 21, a banner on the balcony of its office, located right next to the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Moldova, demanding her release. We have been forced to abandon this form of protest and to remove the banner on Friday, April 22, at the request of the owner of the building where the office of the Center is placed. Soon, the man who refused to introduce himself, but who claimed to be a representative of the embassy of Azerbaijan in Chisinau, came to CIJM's office insisting to remove the banner and disclose the author of the idea, the person or company who executed this order. The official threatened us openly and repeatedly and said that we would have big problems.

"By this banner, the Center  for Investigative Journalism stated its position on the Government of Azerbaijan, which violates the rights of journalists and jails freelance journalists ", said president of CIJM, Cornelia Cozonac during the flash-mob. CIJM has recently notified the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration but the latter did not take any attitude to this situation.

Journalist Khadija Ismayilova, author of several investigations about the businesses controlled by President Ilham Aliev, has been convicted for alleged tax evasion. Human rights organizations have labeled the charges as political.