Leyla and Arif Yunus arrive in the Netherlands

Azerbaijani human rights defenders and former prisoners of conscience Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunus were allowed to travel to the Netherlands on 19 April to receive medical care for their deteriorating health and to be reunited with their daughter.

On 19 April, following international pressure, the Azerbaijani authorities finally allowed human rights defenders, spouses Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunus, to travel to the Netherlands to receive medical care.

Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunus were criminally prosecuted for their human rights work under trumped up charges, and sentenced to eight and seven-and-a-half years, respectively, on 13 August 2015. Amnesty International recognized them as prisoners of conscience.

Following mounting international pressure, Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunus were finally released on medical grounds on 12 November and 9 December 2015, respectively. As part of the conditions of their release, they were placed under a travel ban, which prevented them from leaving the country for medical treatment which both of them required after their health had seriously deteriorated in prison.

The couple have finally been reunited with their daughter Dinara who came to meet them at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, accompanied by activists from Amnesty International Netherlands. You can watch the video of their reunion here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGvdM7GZ4Eg .

While Amnesty International welcomes the couple’s release and the lifting of the travel ban imposed on them, Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunus should have never have been prosecuted in the first place, and they should be fully cleared of their criminal convictions.

Thank you to all those who sent appeals. No further action is requested from the UA network.