Bangladesh, Jan. 28 -- Europes highest human rights tribunal has ruled that Azerbaijan deliberately misused its criminal justice system to silence one of the countrys most prominent investigative journalists, delivering a stinging rebuke to authorities in Baku and renewing international concern over the state of press freedom in the oil-rich South Caucasus nation.

In a judgment issued on January 27, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) concluded that the prosecution of Khadija Ismayilova was not driven by legitimate law enforcement objectives but was instead aimed at “silencing and punishing her for her journalistic activities.” The court ordered Azerbaijan to pay Ismayilova a total of 16,000 euros (about $18,700) in dam...