Leyla Yunus' husband arrested in Azerbaijan

The husband of Azerbaijan's prominent human rights activist Leyla Yunus, Arif Yunus, has been arrested in Baku.

The couple's lawyer Xalid Bagirov told RFE/RL that Arif Yunus was arrested on August 5.

Leyla Yunus, a 57-years-old fierce critic of Azerbaijan's rights record, was arrested on July 30. She was charged with high treason, spying for Armenia, illegal business activities, documents forgery and fraud.  

Arif Yunus, 59, was charged with treason and fraud the same day and put under police surveilance.

Leyla Yunus, the founding director of the unregistered Peace and Democracy Institute in Baku, has been actively involved in people-to-people diplomacy with Armenian rights activists.  

Azerbaijan's Prosecutor General's office said on July 31 that the couple had been involved in passing classified information to Armenian agents.

(RFE/RL)

Bakudaily.az