Azerbaijani Activists Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunus Sentenced to Many Years in Prison

The long-time civil society actors Leyla Yunus and her husband Arif Yunus have been sentenced to eight years and six months imprisonment and seven years imprisonment respectively.

The Court of Grave Crimes in Baku sentenced the activists on charges of fraud, illegal entrepreneurship, tax evasion and fraud. In addition to the sentences, the court requested confiscation of their property and bank accounts.

The court hearings in the case of Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunus were held in small courtrooms, preventing many independent observers and trial monitors of having access to the hearings. The proceedings were also marked by the harassment, legal persecution against their lawyers, and worrying health situation of Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunus.

The charges against Yunus spouses are similar to the ones upheld against other leading human rights defenders, especially Anar Mammadli and Rasul Jafarov, as well as against prominent human rights lawyer Intigam Aliyev.

Ane Tusvik Bonde, Regional Manager for Eastern Europe and Caucasus at the Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF), has already commented on the sentence, saying that “the Azerbaijani authorities are doing everything they can to shut down independent civil society. This sentence stands as an example of the criminalisation of lawful activities to promote human rights. It is simply appalling.”

The HRHF Regional Manager also pointed out that whilst Azerbaijani authorities target those who defend human rights, international voices need to support them.

“We call upon international voices to express their support to imprisoned human rights defenders in Azerbaijan and to support their relatives and colleagues continuing their work in this repressive environment. All political leaders and institutions should publicly and privately call for the immediate and unconditional release of all leading civil society actors, including Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunus,” he said.

Ane Tusvik Bonde mentioned that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution calling for the release of political prisoners. This is the first time the Assembly does it so clearly, and specifically mentioned leading civil society figures, including human rights lawyer Intigam Aliyev, human rights defenders Leyla Yunus, and her husband Arif Yunus, Anar Mammadli and Rasul Jafarov, amongst others.

In his opinion, the Council of Europe and the United Nations also need to take concrete action, inter alia, the PACE should suspend the credentials of the Azerbaijani delegation and the UN Human Rights Council should request that the High Commissioner for Human Rights to present, a comprehensive report on the human rights situation in Azerbaijan and the environment for human rights defenders in the country.

As a reminder, Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunus were arrested on 30 July 2014. Arif Yunus was released and then arrested again on 5 August 2014. The couple remained in pre-trial detention since.