BAKU (Armenpress) — Amnesty International this week launched a campaign demanding the release of Azerbaijani spouses Arif and Leyla Yunus for treatment.
Azerbaijani authorities interfere with the departure abroad for emergency medical treatment of the Yunuses — known human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience. After the insistent demands of the international community the couple has been finally provisionally released, but criminal chargees against them has not been lifted. They are still considered convicted, the report said.
Amnesty International urged everyone to support the couple and to e-mail the Azerbaijani President and Attorney General with a call to remove from the spouses’ charges and release the couple for treatment abroad, as their treatment in Azerbaijan is not possible.
The head of the Institute of Peace and Democracy, Leyla Yunus was detained on July 30, 2014 and charged with serious crimes, including treason. In August 2015 she was sentenced to 8.5 years of imprisonment. In December of the same year, this term was replaced by a suspended sentence.
