According to “Kavkazsky uzel”, Azerbaijani Centre for Monitoring of Political Prisoners set up a prize “Human rights defender of Year”. On the results of 2016 the Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy Leyla Yunus became its first laureate.
On 13 August 2015 Leyla Yunus was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison, and her husband Arif Yunus – to seven years. 9 December 2015 the Baku Court of Appeal mitigated the sentence to the Yunus’ spouse, being replaced punishment into conditional one, with period on five years to each. However, the convicted persons filed a cassation appeal against this verdict. On 27 December 2016 the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan sent the case for reviewing.
In 2013 Leyla Yunus was awarded with an Order of the Cavalier of the Legion of Honour of France for the human rights struggle, and also awarded an international prize named after Theodore Hecker. The prize of Hecker awarded every two years to men who have shown a courage and valor in defending freedom, democracy, peace and the ideals of humanism.
“We established the prize ‘Human rights defender of Year’. It will be annually awarded to the persons, who have made a special contribution to the protection of human rights. The first laureate of the prize was the known not only in Azerbaijan, but also far beyond its borders, a former dissident, human rights activist Leyla Yunus”, – said Elshan Hasanov, a head of the Centre for Monitoring of Political Prisoners.
The Centre for Monitoring of Political Prisoners was established in October 2014 by the group of former “prisoners of conscience”, who were sentenced in connection with the opposition’s rally on 2 April 2011.
Leyla Yunus She was awarded this title “for her many years of dedicated work on protection the human rights, as well as the efforts to inform the international community about the problem of political prisoners in Azerbaijan in 2016” is said in the Centre’s statement.
“Despite the pressure and repressions of the authorities, arrest and torture, lost of health, Leyla Yunus was not broken and continues her work in this significant for democracy the direction – human rights sphere”, – Hasanov clarified.
He noted that despite the health problems, Leyla Yunus continues to fight abroad for the release of political prisoners in Azerbaijan.
“Being abroad, Leyla Yunus actively participated in drawing up new list of political prisoners. With purpose of moral support she sends letters political prisoners. She conducts numerous meeting abroad in order to inform concerning the problem of political prisoners and influencing on the authorities of Azerbaijan with purpose their release. In particular, Leyla Yunus conducts meetings in the European Parliament. In frames of the ‘Eastern Partnership’ civil society forum she arose the issue and during her short meeting to the High Representative of the EU on Foreign Policy Federica Mogherini. In International day of Human Rights Leyla Yunus took part in big event in Netherlands that was arranged by Amnesty International, international human rights organisation. She initiated an international campaign on sending the supporting letter to Azerbaijani political prisoners”, – Hasanov noted
Awarding of Leyla Yunus with prize ‘Human rights activist of Year’ is natural. This is said by Ogtay Gulaliyev, a head of ‘Azerbaijan without political prisoners’ Public Alliance.
“Leyla Yunus is an indefatigable advocate of human rights… And today, despite the serious diseases, she continues her fight. She protects the rights the most vulnerable persons. She actively fight for rights of political prisoners, including the defendants accused on ‘Nardaran case’”, – Gulaliyev told to a correspondent of “Kavkazsky uzel”.
A leader of ‘Muslim Unity’ movement Taleh Baghirzade and 17 his supporters are accused in organisation of the disorders in Nardaran that began after detention on 29 November 2015 of 14 men. Seven men were killed in course of the clashes to the police. 26 December 2016 a prosecutor suggested to sentence of Taleh Baghirzade to life imprisonment, and other 17 defendants – in periods from 10 to 20 years in prison.
According to Gulaliyev, Leyla Yunus convinces an international community that accused persons on ‘Nardaran case’ are not religious extremists and terrorists. “Being believers, these people are acting for democratic development of Azerbaijan and therefore they are in prison”, – he said on Baghirzade and his supporters.
Leyla Yunus always protects also common citizens, who became ‘the victims of fight for their human dignity and arbitrariness of local officials’, Gulaliyev clarified.
