UEL Chair Tiny Kox welcomes today’s release from prison of human rights activist Leyla Yunus in Azerbaijan:
‘Today’s release from prison of Leyla Yunus by the Azerbaijani authorities is a positive signal, after we had seen so many negative signals regarding the respect for human rights in Azerbaijan in the past year. The release of Leyla Yunus, for which we and many others asked time and again, was most needed because her deteriorating health situation. I am glad that Mrs Yunus now can join her husband Arif, who was also recently released from prison. Let us hope that soon other human rights activists who still are imprisoned, will be released as well. In the countries which belong to the Council of Europe, imprisonment of people for political reasons is unacceptable. I pay tribute to the many who showed their solidarity with these activists in Azerbaijan and therewith put the necessary pressure on the Azerbaijani authorities. I appeal to the Council of Europe and its Parliamentary Assembly to closely follow the developments in Azerbaijan.’