Pickets in Moscow to support Leyla and Arif Yunus

A series of one-man pickets to support Azerbaijani political prisoners and former Soviet dissidents Leyla and Arif Yunus was held near the embassy of Azerbaijan in Moscow.

As Grani.ru reports, Svetlana Gannushkina, the head of the group Citizen’s Assistance; Oleg Orlov, a member of the board the Human Rights Center Memorial; human rights defender and political journalist Alexander Podrabinek; and Yury Dzibladze, the president of the Centre for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights took part in the pickets.

The campaign was orgnised by the committee Citizen's Assistance. It was planned to hold a group picket near the embassy, but the city authorities refused to permit it, because the picket “can be interpreted as interference with a foreign state's affairs”.

It was decided to hold several one-man pickets, because they don't require permission from the authorities.

Leyla Yunus, 58, is the director of the Baku-based Institute for Peace and Democracy. Her husband Arif Yunus, 59, heads the department of conflict managing and migration at the Institute. Both are known as historians and political journalists. They were cooperating with Russian-language underground and foreign press, including the Express Chronicle since the late 1980. They were activists of the People's Front of Azerbaijan. In 1992-1993, Arif Yunus headed the information and analytical department at president Abulfaz Elchibey's administration. Leyla Yunus headed the information and analytical department of the country's Ministry of Defence.

On July 30, Leyla Yunus was arrested in Baku and charged with treason (article 274), large-scale frauds (article 198.3.2), illegal business activities (192.2.2), tax evasion (213.2.2) and forgery (320.1 and 320.2). She was thrown into a jail in the village of Kyurdakhany.

Arif Yunus was arrested on August 5. He was charged with violating articles 274 and 178.3.2. He was placed into a jail of the National Security Ministry known for systematic torture of inmates and the use of psychotropes.

The political prisoners deny the charges and say the case was fabricated. They refused to give evidence against themselves and their family members.

They may face a life sentence. Trials over treasons are held behind closed doors in Azerbaijan. Courts usually agree with all arguments of the prosecution.

Both political prisoners have serious health problems. Arif Yunus had a stroke recently. His wife suffers from diabetes. She also had a kidney surgery and seven eye surgeries. Prison staff don't provide the inmates with medicines.

There's information that Leyla Yunus is pressed by both cell-mates, who are charged with criminal offences, and the prison staff. On September 23, major Yaqubov beat her. He entered the cell, and pulled Yunus by the arm to a neighbouring empty cell. He then grabbed her hair, knocked her down and dragged her along the floor. He was shouting: “Did you become more clever?” Yaqubov delivered blows to her kidneys.

“I understand clearly that they will brutally torture Arif and me until we die,” Leyla Yunus wrote from jail on the first days after the arrest.