Geneva, December 11, 2015 - The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), the leading global network of civil society organisations against torture, summary executions, enforced disappearances and all other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in the world, welcomes the release on probation of Azerbaijani human rights defender and OMCT General Assembly member Leyla Yunus after nearly one year and a half of arbitrary detention and seriously deteriorating health.
On December 9, 2015, the Baku Court of Appeal commuted the sentences against Leyla Yunus, Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD) and a member of OMCT General Assembly, and her husband, Arif Yunusov, to a release on probation for five years.
Both had been sentenced to 8,5 and 7 years of imprisonment respectively on August 13, 2015, following a procedure that grossly disregarded international standards of fair trial and due process. The right to medical treatment of the Yunus couple was blatantly violated by the authorities who repeteadly denied their release on humanitarian grounds despite the critical level their health condition had reached.
“The global anti-torture family united in the OMCT feels today relieved. Our thoughts are with Leyla and her husband and their family. We want on behalf of the OMCT to thank all those that have used their influence publicly or privately for her release”, said OMCT President Yves Berthelot.
This decision follows months of intense advocacy and missions of trial observations carried out by OMCT along with many others, including in the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and the Sport for Rights campaign.
Furthermore, the OMCT notes that this decision took place exactly the same day as the United Nations Committee Against Torture (UNCAT) published its Concluding Observations following its review of Azerbaijan last November. In its Observations, the UNCAT specifically refers to the arbitrary imprisonment of Leyla and Arif Yunus. Already, on November 12, Arif Yunusov had been conditionally released on humanitarian grounds on the day that Azerbaijan was reviewed by the UNCAT in Geneva.
The OMCT hopes that this release will be followed with an unconditional release, the dropping of all charges and the ability to travel.
“The priority is now to allow Leyla and Arif to fully recover and we are looking forward to seeing them both soon”, said Yves Berthelot. “This moment of relief should, however, not distract us from the fact that a good number of leading human rights defenders in Azerbaijan remain in detention today who will continue to require all our attention”.
For more information, please contact:
· Gerald Staberock, OMCT Secretary General : +41 22 809 49 39
For more information on the case, please check OMCT Campaign "Freedom for Leyla and Arif Yunus #FreeTheYunus" webpage
Members of OMCT's SOS-Torture Network send a message to Leyla and Arif Yunus following their release on December 9, 2015:
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