12:36, 5 August 2014

In Azerbaijan, IPD staff member Arif Yunus detained

Arif Yunus. Photo by Aziz Karimov for the ‘Caucasian Knot’.

In Azerbaijan, Arif Yunus, a staff member of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD), has been detained. The defence believes the court will pronounce the pre-trial restriction measure against Arif Yunus.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Arif Yunus and his wife Leyla Yunus, Director of the Azerbaijani Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD), had been charged under a number of articles, including treason. On July 30, Leyla Yunus was detained in Baku, and she was taken into custody on the day of her detention. Arif Yunus was under police surveillance because of bad health state. According to the General Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of National Security of Azerbaijan, Yunus spouses are being prosecuted under the case against journalist Rauf Mirkadirov, who was detained on April 18 in Ankara.

This morning, Arif Yunus was detained when he left home to bring food and medicines to his wife Leyla Yunus, who is kept at the Baku SIZO-1 (pre-trial prison No. 1). This was reported by their advocate Khalid Bagirov. He believes that the court will adopt the pre-trial freedom restriction measure for Arif Yunus in the form of arrest.

Author: Faik Medzhid

Source: CK correspondent