Azerbaijan in ‘anti-democratic free fall,’ says OSCE PA’s Santos following Yunus verdict

COPENHAGEN, 13 August 2015 – The Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, Isabel Santos (MP, Portugal), today condemned the sentencing of Azerbaijani rights activist Leyla Yunus and her husband, Arif, to lengthy prison terms and called on authorities to urgently begin respecting their OSCE commitments in the spheres of human rights and civil liberties.

“I am deeply saddened to learn of today’s politically motivated court decision to lock away one of Azerbaijan’s most prominent and courageous human rights defenders, Leyla Yunus, and her husband, Arif. The Azerbaijani authorities apparently know no shame in violating the basic OSCE standards that should have protected the Yunuses, such as respect for human rights, freedom of speech and rule of law. The anti-democratic free fall continues in Baku, and I urge the government to immediately reverse this trend,” Santos said.

Santos also noted that both Leyla and Arif Yunus are suffering from serious health conditions. 

“The Azerbaijani government, however, has an opportunity to make a powerful statement of a positive nature by releasing the Yunuses on humanitarian grounds. I appeal to the authorities to consider such a decision,” she said.

Chairperson Santos also reiterated her request to the Azerbaijani authorities to visit Leyla Yunus and other detained rights defenders and journalists in the country. She expressed her continued openness to direct engagement with the authorities on these cases.