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Hearing held in case of Leyla and Arif Yunus

15 July 2015 11:07 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Shahriyar Alizade - APA. Baku Court of Grave Crimes has today held a preliminary hearing on the criminal case of Leyla Yunus, the imprisoned director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy, and his husband Arif Yunus.

At the hearing presided over by judge Afgan Hajiyev, the judges first asked Leyla and Arif Yunus whether they have any objections to the composition of the cjury. They didn’t answer the question.

Arif Yunus’ lawyer Afgan Mammadov filed petitions regarding the defendant’s sitting next to him and the criminal case’s being terminated.

Leyla Yunus’ lawyer Ramiz Mammadov filed petitions regarding the defendant’s sitting next to him and creating conditions for taking audio and video recordings at the hearing. The lawyer said that medical staff arrived five times from abroad regarding Leyla Yunus’ health. She has health problems.

The lawyer asked the court to change the decision of Leyla Yunus’ arrest.

Public prosecutor Farid Nagiyev asked the court to reject the petitions.

Then the hearing was adjourned.

During the break, Leyla Yunus said she doesn’t agree with the charges against her.

After the break, it was announced that the petitions were rejected.

At that time, Leyla Yunus asked the court to give her floor. The judge urged her to respect the hearing.

The next hearing was scheduled for July 27.

On 30 July 2014, Nasimi district court in Baku sentenced Leyla Yunus to three months in prison. A criminal case was launched against her under articles #274 (treason), 178.3.2 (fraud with causing damage in the large size), 192.2.2 (illegal business with extraction of income in the large size), 213.2.2 (tax evasion with causing damage in large amount), 320.1 (Fake of certificate or other official document giving the rights or releasing from duties, with a view of its use or selling of such document, as well as manufacturing in same purposes or selling of counterfeit state awards of the Azerbaijan Republic, stamps, seals, forms) and 320.2 (use of obviously counterfeit documents provided in article 320.1) of the Criminal Code.

Arif Yunus was arrested on 5 August 2014 over charges under articles #178.3.2 (fraud with causing damage in the large size) and 274 (treason) of the Criminal Code.

The criminal case on Leyla and Arif Yunus under article #274 (treason) has been sent to a separate trial. The Baku Court of Grave Crimes is currently considering the cases on fraud and other crimes.