13:13, 30 July 2014

In Azerbaijan, prosecutors detain IPD Director Leyla Yunus

On Wednesday morning, human rights activist Leyla Yunus was detained near her house in Baku. She was delivered to the Investigating Department for Grave Crimes of the General Prosecutor's Office. The detention may represent a forced bringing to police in connection with the activist's refusal to give testimony to investigators. This was reported by Yusif Agaev, a legal agent of the human rights activist.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 28, law enforcers detained Leyla Yunus, Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD), and her husband Arif Yunus. During nine hours, the General Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan questioned Leyla Yunus as a witness in the case against journalist Rauf Mirkadirov, suspected of treason.

According to Yusif Agaev, the activist's detention may be connected with the fact that prosecutors "intend to charge Leyla Yunus in the Rauf Mirkadirov's case or something else."

On July 29, Leyla Yunus claimed that her family members were subjected to open surveillance. Recently, she took a number of human rights initiatives, and, in particular, Leyla Yunus created the Repression Resistance Centre (RRC) under the auspice of the IPD.

In turn, the RRC took the initiative of introduction of international sanctions against Azerbaijani officials, who violate human rights, similar to the "Magnitsky List".

Author: Faik Medzhid

Source: CK correspondent