UK welcomes release of Leyla and Arif Yunus

  10 December 2015    Read: 1044
UK welcomes release of Leyla and Arif Yunus
The UK welcomes the release of Azerbaijani activists and encourages Azerbaijan to take further steps to improve the human rights situation, said the statement of the Foreign Office on Dec.10.
An Azerbaijani Court of Appeal has reduced the sentences of human rights defender Leyla Yunus and historian Arif Yunus to a 5 year suspended sentence. They were previously sentenced to 8.5 and 7 years imprisonment respectively on 13 August, following questionable allegations of tax evasion, illegal business activity, fraud and forgery. There has been concern over Leyla Yunus’ health, which has deteriorated over the last year of pre-trial detention.

Commenting on the decision, Minister for Europe, David Lidington, said he welcomes the decision to release Leyla and Arif Yunus.

He expressed hope that Leyla Yunus will now be able to receive the essential medical treatment she needs. “I encourage Azerbaijan to repeat this humanitarian gesture in other similar cases and to take further concrete steps to improve the human rights situation in the country. The UK will continue to urge Azerbaijan to abide by its international commitments and respect the rule of law,” Lidington added.

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