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It should have been a happy day for Leyla and Arif Yunus. On 15 July, the couple — together for 37 years — saw each other for the first time in 11 months. The circumstances of their reunion, however, put a damper on what would otherwise have been a joyous occasion: it took place inside a glass cage, in a cramped courtroom in Baku, Azerbaijan. The human rights activists are on trial, on charges widely recognised to be politically motivated.
Initially scheduled for 13 July, but pushed back for unknown reasons, the Yunus’s pre-trial hearing came almost a year after they were first detained within days of each other in July and August of 2014. Leyla, director of the Peace and Democracy Institute, and Arif, a historian and researcher, have since been accused of an array of crimes, ranging from tax evasion and illegal business activities, to treason.
In the courtroom some 30 places were allocated to members of the public, who were stripped of their phones at the start of proceedings. Representatives from the German and EU embassies, as well as local journalists and NGOs were in attendance, according to Kati Piri, a Dutch member of the European Parliament who travelled to Baku for the trial. She estimated that more than half of the the crowd that had shown up, including other embassy delegations, did not manage to get into the room.
Piri told Index on Censorship that she was there to show support and solidarity for the couple, and that the European Parliament and the international community had not forgotten them and will continue to exert pressure.
“Even though the spotlight is no longer on Baku for the games, it will continue to be on when it comes to human right abuses,” she said, referring to the inaugural European Games, hosted with much fanfare by the Azerbaijani capital just weeks ago.
Proceedings lasted some 2.5 hours, and according to reports from inside the court, both Leyla and Arif looked pale and thinner. Leyla’s struggles with diabetes and Hepatitis C in prison have been well documented, but during the hearing she expressed worry in particular about her husband. Piri said Arif looked “much less strong and vivid than Leyla”. Their daughter Dinara told media in June that both her parents’ health has deteriorated since their arrest.
The van transporting Leyla and Arif Yunus (Photo: Kati Piri)
An appeal to the judges to allow Leyla to serve house arrest instead of imprisonment, was denied — as was every other motion filed by the defence, including a call for the case to be dropped altogether and a request that the couple be allowed to sit with their attorneys instead of the in the glass cages.
But Piri said Leyla seemed mentally very strong: “Mentally, they haven’t been able to break her.” Leyla took the opportunity, during a break in proceedings, to address the people in attendance, and according to Contact.az, she refused to stay silent even when the judge ignored her request to speak. “You are depriving me of the right to speak… I know that it is a false trial, but you have to give me an opportunity to speak…” she reportedly said.
The arrest of the couple in July and August 2014, was the first move in a crackdown by the regime of President Ilham Aliyvev, which has seen some of Azerbaijan’s most celebrated critical and independent voices arrested and sentenced on spurious, and frequently suspiciously similar charges, often relating to white-collar crime. Over the past few months, pro-democracy campaigner Rasul Jafarov has been handed down a 6.5 year sentence, while human rights lawyer Intigam Aliyev and journalist Seymur Hezi have been jailed for 7.5 and five years respectively. Award-winning investigative reporter Khadija Ismayilova is due in court on 22 July.
Leyla and Arif Yunus’s next hearing is scheduled for 27 July. While Piri remains hopeful of a positive outcome for the couple, she is afraid “it will not depend on the judges, but on politicians what will happen in this case”.
This article was posted on 15 July 2015 at indexoncensorship.org
Critical Azerbaijani journalists may have been jailed, beaten, killed, and forced into hiding and exile. Foreign journalists may have been banned from entering the country for the inaugural European Games in the capital Baku. But don’t worry: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev sure loves press freedom — at least according to his tweets.
All freedoms are guaranteed in Azerbaijan. There are hundreds of press organs in Azerbaijan.
— Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) January 23, 2015
A media village is being set up. Paying attention to journalists, we have created good conditions for them too. — Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) April 11, 2015
All freedoms, including the freedom of speech, the freedom of conscience, the freedom of the press and free Internet, are available.
— Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) September 1, 2014
All fundamental freedoms are guaranteed in Azerbaijan. There are free media and free internet. — Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) June 16, 2014
All freedoms are guaranteed in Azerbaijan – the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press, political freedoms, the freedom of conscience.
— Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) October 11, 2013
We stand for the freedom of the media because freedom of the media means democracy. The media help the (cont) http://t.co/DreFvHbvlf — Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) June 27, 2014
The relations with foreign media should be more active, more complete information should be given about the (cont) http://t.co/QJtH0Ejr
— Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) September 29, 2012
I also think that relations with non-governmental organizations should be even more active. Media relations should develop more actively — Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) September 29, 2012
I see the future development of media in strengthening of independent, in every sense of the word, independent media…
— Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) July 24, 2010
Our press has traversed a long and successful path. — Ilham Aliyev (@presidentaz) July 23, 2010
This article was posted on 11 June, 2015 at indexoncensorship.org
Join Index on Censorship, Sport for Rights, Amnesty International UK, Article 19 and Platform for a demonstration in London calling for an end to the human rights crackdown in Azerbaijan, and the release of the country’s jailed journalists and human rights defenders. This will be part of a series of parallel protests across Europe to mark the opening ceremony of the inaugural European Games. The games will be hosted in Baku, Azerbaijan from 12-28 June.
The demonstration will take place from 10 to 11 am in front of the Azerbaijani Embassy at 4 Kensington Court, London, W8 5DL. Some participants will be coming from an earlier protest, organised by Platform, in front of BP, a sponsor of the European Games.
For more information on the human rights situation in Azerbaijan in the run-up to the European Games, check out Sport for Rights’ Facebook page and Twitter feed.
When: Friday 12 June, 10-11 am
Where: Embassy of Azerbaijan, London (map)
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In six weeks, the inaugural European Olympic Committee (EOC)-backed European Games will start in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku. Meanwhile, concerns about the human rights situation in the country are mounting. The latest chapter in the ongoing crackdown on government critics saw pro-democracy activist Rasul Jafarov and human rights lawyer Intigam Aliyev sentenced to 6.5 and 7.5 years in prison, respectively.
Against this backdrop, Index on Censorship, Human Rights Watch and Article 19 on 28 April hosted Give Human Rights a Sporting Chance in Azerbaijan at the Frontline Club in London. The event addressed the question of how journalists can effectively cover the games given the full scope of social and political issues in Azerbaijan.
From left: Emin Milli, Rebecca Vincent and Giorgi Gogia speaking speaking on the crackdown on government critics in Azerbaijan ahead of this summer’s Baku European Games (Photo: Index on Censorship)
On the panel were Emin Milli, a former political prisoner in Azerbaijan, now director of Meydan TV; Rebecca Vincent, coordinator of the Sport for Rights campaign; and Giorgi Gogia, Human Rights Watch’s senior researcher on Azerbaijan who was recently denied entry into the country. These were some of their key points:
In last year #Azerbaijan gov has been systematically attacking civil society & they are getting away with it @Giorgi_Gogia #RealBaku2015
— IPGA (@AZfreeXpression) April 28, 2015
There is no one left who can safely do human rights activism in Azerbaijan @SportForRights .@article19 #RealBaku2015
— David Diaz-Jogeix (@DiazJogeix) April 28, 2015
From NGO laws to imprisonment, Azerbaijan took several steps to silence criticism says @Giorgi_Gogia #realbaku2015 — Melody Patry (@melodypatry) April 28, 2015
Many of Azerbaijan’s political prisoners have serious and debilitating health problems – @rebecca_vincent #Baku2015 @frontlineclub — Stephanie Hancock (@hancock_steph) April 28, 2015
“We want to raise the issues our jailed colleagues were trying to raise” @rebecca_vincent about the @SportForRights campaign #Azerbaijan
— Melody Patry (@melodypatry) April 28, 2015
“Last time we had an event like this @Khadija0576 was sitting next to me. Now facing up to 19 years in jail” @rebecca_vincent #RealBaku2015
— IPGA (@AZfreeXpression) April 28, 2015
Olympic committee does bear responsibility, this contravenes Olympic charter @Giorgi_Gogia #realbaku2015 — IPGA (@AZfreeXpression) April 28, 2015
Olympic Committee bear moral responsibility for enabling repression @rebecca_vincent @SportForRights #HelloBaku — Platform (@PlatformLondon) April 28, 2015
Relationships with European States are of fundamental importance to gov of Azerbaijan. Provides leverage to push on human rights @BHRRC — ARTICLE 19 Europe (@article19europe) April 28, 2015
Very important that European leaders don’t give prestige to #Azerbaijan by attending opening of the games. @Giorgi_Gogia @hrw #Realbaku2015
— IPGA (@AZfreeXpression) April 28, 2015
British gov also silenced on human rights due to to business interests in #Azerbaijan @rebecca_vincent #realbaku2015
— IPGA (@AZfreeXpression) April 28, 2015
@rebecca_vincent we are not calling for boycott of games- but western states must apply pressure on Azerbaijan re human rights #Baku2015
— ARTICLE 19 Europe (@article19europe) April 28, 2015
We are facing a huge PR and propaganda machine from Azerbaijan supported by oil companies in the west, says @eminmilli
— Milana Knežević (@milanaknez) April 28, 2015
.@eminmilli – Azerbaijan has silenced Council of Europe over the past decade. We are facing a huge propaganda machine #Baku2015
— Stephanie Hancock (@hancock_steph) April 28, 2015
Azerbaijan has created myth that it is strategically important for west, but no euro country relies on it for oil/gas @eminmilli — ARTICLE 19 Europe (@article19europe) April 28, 2015
“It’s not true that Azerbaijanis don’t know what is happening – and they are very unhappy with Baku Games.” #RealBaku2015 @eminmilli — ARTICLE 19 Europe (@article19europe) April 28, 2015
This is one of @MeydanTV‘s most shared cartoons, which shows how much it resonates with people, says @eminmilli pic.twitter.com/qfB2t4Rwo1
— Milana Knežević (@milanaknez) April 28, 2015
It’s important that sports journalists look beyond the sports when they are on the ground in Azerbaijan, says @Giorgi_Gogia
— Milana Knežević (@milanaknez) April 28, 2015
@eminmilli #RealBaku2015 the real Challenge for European journalists is to expose the true nature of Azerbaijan .@article19 — David Diaz-Jogeix (@DiazJogeix) April 28, 2015
If human rights activism has no impact why does the #Azerbaijan gov arrest all the activists? #realBaku2015 — IPGA (@AZfreeXpression) April 28, 2015
Havel, Mandela – change is often slow, reminds @eminmilli but we must persist. A voice of determination and optimism #RealBaku2015
— ARTICLE 19 Europe (@article19europe) April 28, 2015
This article was posted on 29 April 2015 at indexoncensorship.org