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DEAR BAKU: STOP BEATING ACTIVIST. RELEASE HER. DROP TREASON CHARGE!
Amnesty International USA
Oct 8 2014
New York
Amnesty International USA has issued the following news release:
Arresting its loudest critic and charging her with "treason" doesn't
seem enough for Azerbaijani officials. Last week, peace activist and
human rights defender
was beaten by Kurdakhany detention facility administration staff.
An April 2014 video shows Leyla Yunus confronting officials (in
Russian) about not having been allowed to use the toilet during an
unlawful detention for interrogation. Although officials eventually
allowed her to use a toilet (with a male guard watching her), Leyla
says she was not informed of charges against her.
Less than half a year later after the detention, Leyla (and soon
her husband Arif Yunus) were arrested and given ridiculous charges
of treason and tax evasion. Amnesty International considers both
Prisoners of Conscience and calls on Baku to release them immediately
and unconditionally (add your voice to our appeal).
Those familiar with the complex ethnic conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh
(which resulted in 30,000 deaths in the early 1990s) between ex-Soviet
neighbors Armenia and Azerbaijan will appreciate a US State Department
official's statement that harassment against Leyla and Arif Yunus
presents "a chilling effect on any contact between Azerbaijanis
and Armenians."
As the director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (the office
of this organization was demolished without notice in 2011), Leyla
Yunus is one of few courageous activists in Azerbaijan who cooperate
on reconciliation projects with intellectuals in Armenia. Her husband
Arif also worked at the Institute.
While administrations in both countries use the nationalist card, the
president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has been accused of capitalizing
on anti-Armenian sentiments in order to maintain his family's
several-decade-long rule and de facto control of oil resources.
(Amnesty International has recognized 23 people as prisoners of
conscience in Azerbaijan, jailed solely for peacefully exercising
their right to freedom of expression.)
In fact, an Azerbaijani official has stated that Leyla Yunus "is not
a woman... [but] Armenian." Working for peace is not a crime. Please
take action to tell Baku that the world is listening to its loudest
voices for peace, even as they are beaten behind bars.
Amnesty International USA
Oct 8 2014
New York
Amnesty International USA has issued the following news release:
Arresting its loudest critic and charging her with "treason" doesn't
seem enough for Azerbaijani officials. Last week, peace activist and
human rights defender
was beaten by Kurdakhany detention facility administration staff.
An April 2014 video shows Leyla Yunus confronting officials (in
Russian) about not having been allowed to use the toilet during an
unlawful detention for interrogation. Although officials eventually
allowed her to use a toilet (with a male guard watching her), Leyla
says she was not informed of charges against her.
Less than half a year later after the detention, Leyla (and soon
her husband Arif Yunus) were arrested and given ridiculous charges
of treason and tax evasion. Amnesty International considers both
Prisoners of Conscience and calls on Baku to release them immediately
and unconditionally (add your voice to our appeal).
Those familiar with the complex ethnic conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh
(which resulted in 30,000 deaths in the early 1990s) between ex-Soviet
neighbors Armenia and Azerbaijan will appreciate a US State Department
official's statement that harassment against Leyla and Arif Yunus
presents "a chilling effect on any contact between Azerbaijanis
and Armenians."
As the director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (the office
of this organization was demolished without notice in 2011), Leyla
Yunus is one of few courageous activists in Azerbaijan who cooperate
on reconciliation projects with intellectuals in Armenia. Her husband
Arif also worked at the Institute.
While administrations in both countries use the nationalist card, the
president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has been accused of capitalizing
on anti-Armenian sentiments in order to maintain his family's
several-decade-long rule and de facto control of oil resources.
(Amnesty International has recognized 23 people as prisoners of
conscience in Azerbaijan, jailed solely for peacefully exercising
their right to freedom of expression.)
In fact, an Azerbaijani official has stated that Leyla Yunus "is not
a woman... [but] Armenian." Working for peace is not a crime. Please
take action to tell Baku that the world is listening to its loudest
voices for peace, even as they are beaten behind bars.