The complaint brought against Leyla Yunus was based on the statements published on the web-page www.day.az on 3 December 2008 concerning the investigation and trial against several men charged with kidnapping of two underage sisters. Leila Yunus monitored the trial in her capacity as a human rights defender.
The investigation and trial against the men has raised several serious questions, as one of the accused informed that the two girls had been handed over to an officer of a local police department for trafficking. The accused had also given information that he had been tortured to withhold this information. Despite the revelation of this information at the trial calls for questioning the police mentioned in the testimony were in the beginning denied by the judge of the trial.
In the interview published by www.day.az Leyla Yunus quoted these observations from the court and commented on them amongst other by reminding of the conviction of several Ministry of Internal Affairs officials for kidnapping a few years ago.
Protesting against the libel case against Leila Yunus, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and Human Rights House Foundation issued a statement on 21 January 2009.
Also see:
Amnesty International welcomes withdrawal of action against a prominent human rights defender by Amnesty International
Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety statement by IRFS
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NHC and HRHF demand withdrawal of libel case by NHC and HRHF
Visit by the Norwegian Ambassador to Leyla Yunus and the Institute of Peace and Democracy by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Baku
Ramil Usubov’s lawsuit against Leyla Yunus sent to Yasamal District Court by IRFS
