Brussels, 10/12/2015 (Agence Europe) - During the evening of Wednesday 9 December, Europeans hailed the transfer of Azerbaijani human rights campaigner Leyla Yunus from prison to house arrest for medical reasons. They also called for the release of other prisoners of conscience.
On behalf of the European Parliament, its president Martin Schulz welcomed Yunus's transfer, saying that on the eve of International Human Rights Day on 10 December it was “wonderful news for all the defenders of human rights in Azerbaijan and worldwide”. He nevertheless regretted that Yunus, like her husband Arif Yunus (who was released on 12 November - see EUROPE 11431) was under house arrest and not completely free. “The European Parliament reiterates its request for the charges against them to be dropped and their names fully cleared”, Schulz added. At the end of a trial that was described as political, the couple were sentenced to prison (seven years for Arif and eight years for Leyla) for embezzlement and tax fraud.
Stating that Leyla Yunus's health had recently been a “growing concern” (according to her lawyers she suffers from liver necrosis, hepatitis C and diabetes), the chair of the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee, Elmar Brok, said he hoped that the cooperation with the authorities would continue so that Leyla and Arif Yunus (who is also ill) might receive the necessary medical support and in the most appropriate conditions.
Leyla Yunus's transfer to house arrest “is a very much appreciated positive step”, said the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. “The European Union hopes that other measures will follow”, the spokesperson added. Like Brok, Schulz said he hoped the Azerbaijani authorities would continue on this path and would release other prisoners of conscience (see EUROPE 11314). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)