
Geneva, 23 December
2016 (OMCT) - Leyla Yunus could not stand the abuses
of the authoritarian regime in Azerbaijan, so she decided to devote her life to
the defense of the rights of victims who suffer injustice. Although her path
has proven to be littered with obstacles, she remains undeterred, and keeps challenging
the Government of Azerbaijan on its failing human rights record.
Ms. Yunus first engaged actively to advocate for Azerbaijan’s
independence from the Soviet Union in the late 1980s. Her hopes that the fall of the
ex-USSR would bring democratic transition were rapidly dashed after President
Heydar Aliyev came to power in 1993 and instituted a regime
characterized by intolerance for dissent and disregard for civil liberties and
political rights. “We were back to Stalin times,” she said.
In 1994 she co-founded the Institute for Peace and
Democracy (IPD) to document cases of political prisoners in Azerbaijan and draw
international attention. She rapidly moved onto denouncing all human rights
violations, including rampant corruption, human trafficking, and violations of
minorities’ rights. As her Institute gained public recognition, this also brought
her to the attention of the authorities.
Paying a high price
Over the years, Ms. Yunus and her family faced increasing
harassment
and threats as a result of her outspoken criticism of her
Government’s abuses. Even her daughter Dinara was targeted, leaving her no
other choice but to seek asylum in the Netherlands.
In 2011, the authorities unlawfully
demolished her home and IPD office after she denounced forced evictions that
were taking place in Baku ahead of the 2012 Eurovision Song Context. “A big
bulldozer arrived and demolished our flat with everything inside - our
archives, library, computers,” she recalled. “Yet we continued our work.”
2014 saw an upsurge in the repression of
civil society ahead of the Baku European Games. Dozens of human rights defenders and
journalists were arrested on politically motivated charges, including Ms. Yunus
and her husband Arif. Both were finally released
on medical grounds at the end of 2015 after being arbitrarily detained for
nearly 18 months. “Everyone
thought we would die in prison, even my daughter,” she said. Yet they still
face treason charges, which has left them with no other viable option than to flee
Azerbaijan. “We had no other choice. We had to leave. But I never thought I
would have to leave my home, my motherland.”
Closing space for
dissent
Like Ms. Yunus and her
husband, several prominent human rights defenders in Azerbaijan were released
in late 2015 and early 2016. However President Ilham Aliyev has pursued his systematic crackdown on all
critical and opposition voices in an attempt to consolidate power.
Many Government critics,
including political activists, defenders, journalists and bloggers, remain in
prison, face travel bans or were forced to leave the country to avoid further persecution.
New laws, adopted in 2014,
have also allowed the Government to freeze bank accounts of independent NGOs
and their leaders. It is now almost impossible to carry out independent human
rights work within Azerbaijan.
Determined as ever
Despite the time she served behind bars under harsh
conditions and her forced exile, Ms. Yunus refuses to remain silent in the face
of reports of human rights violations that continue to emerge from Azerbaijan.
“I still document cases of political prisoners, which
number is now higher than in Russia and Belarus. Some of them die as a result
of torture. But the situation fails to receive the requested
attention from the European Union and the Council of Europe.” Even in
exile, Ms. Yunus continues to be seen as a threat to the Government. “Can you
imagine that they are still afraid of me? They are still monitoring my flat in
Baku,” she said.
Her integrity and determination remain undiminished
and unrelenting. “We must struggle,” she said. “Because defending human rights
it’s not my job, it’s my life.”
This article is part
of a series of 10 profiles to commemorate International Human Rights Day, 10
December, and to recognize the vital role of human rights defenders worldwide.
To see the campaign
video, please click here.
OMCT wishes to thank the Republic and Canton of Geneva
and the OAK Foundation for their support. Its content is the sole
responsibility of OMCT and should in no way be interpreted as reflecting the
view(s) of the supporting institutions.

| Tweet |
English