Leyla Yunus Awarded the Order of the Knight of the Legion of Honor of France

Wednesday evening at the Embassy of France, the Azerbaijani human rights activist, director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD) Leyla Yunus was announced the Knight of the French Order of the Legion of Honor. She won the award for his selfless struggle for human rights.

The award was presented to Yunus by France's Ambassador for Human Rights and the international recognition of the tragedy of the Holocaust François Zimeray.

As the French Ambassador Pascal Monnier said, awarding Yunus Chevalier of the Order of the Legion of Honor, it is a measure of the relationship of France to the people who have devoted themselves to human rights.

He stressed that Yunus is not only in the struggle for human rights, but does a lot to protect women's rights, reconciliation of Azerbaijani and Armenian peoples.

Monnier pointed to the fallacy of the view that France is a friend of Armenia and does not love Azerbaijan. "It's not true," said Monnier.

Monnier reported the appreciation by France of Azerbaijan's achievements in economic development and religious tolerance.

"We feel at home here as in Western countries. You, as Europeans, share our values," said Monnier.

He noted the importance for the Government of Azerbaijan to conduct political and economic reforms expected by the Azerbaijani people.

In turn, Zimeray noted that human rights occupy an important place in the foreign policy of the French Embassy and it is even called "house of human rights."

However, he stressed that human rights are promoted neither by the state nor by diplomats, but by selfless people who sometimes sacrifice not only their freedom, but also life to this. "These people need the best protection," said Zimeray.

Regarding activities of Yunus, he noted that her whole life was aimed at protecting the fundamental freedoms. Her citizenship formed under the influence of the Yunus family tragedy - the three brothers of Yunus' grandfather were repressed, with two of them shot and one died in prison.

Thus Zimeray called symbolic that while the Cannes Film Festival he is here in Baku, awarding the French Order to the granddaughter of a man standing at the origins of the Azerbaijani cinematography. (Grandpa of Leyla Yunus Teymur Useynov made an important contribution to the development of cinema in Azerbaijan and shooting the first Azerbaijani film).

Then Zimeray said Yunus as a historian from 25 years of age in the Soviet Union became involved in dissident journalism, and at the beginning of perestroika participated in the democratic movement.

In the independent Azerbaijan after a short period on information and analysis in the Ministry of Defense, Yunus was engaged in active advocacy work with related risks and hardships, as happened in 2011 when the office was demolished by the IPD.

"Courage, freedom, and struggle for human rights - that is what characterizes Yunus. These are also values of France," said Zimeray.

Noting that he visited as a special envoy in 116 countries and respects the sovereignty of all nations, he added that "only free people can build a free country."

"This high award is support not only of my personal struggle for human rights and democracy in Azerbaijan. This is a great support to our entire democratic community, which is so in need of understanding and support," in turn Yunus said.

She expressed regret that 25 years after the beginning of the struggle against the Soviet empire, and despite its collapse, in Azerbaijan there is no building of a democratic society.

"In place of our generation comes youth, and I'd hate to see how brutal repression they face, and I'm proud of seeing as they courageously confront this regime," said Yunus.

She literally listed all the young activists who are in jail, and submitted the audience the names of their comrades who survived the horrors of prison or are under investigation or are constantly undergoing administrative arrests.

"It happened in modern history that the burden of the struggle falls on your shoulders. I bow my head before those tests, which will still be on your way, and I believe that you will live in a democratic Azerbaijan," Yunus said, referring to the youth activists.

She noted the holding in Azerbaijan of almost daily new arrests, adding that the number of prisoners of conscience already exceeds 80.

The most eerie feeling Yunus called impotence when you can not help your comrades, associates, languishing in prison. She also highlighted the fate of the arrested chief editor of Tolyshi Sado Hilal Mamedov, who in a letter to Yunus expressed fears that he could suffer the fate of his predecessor Novruzali Mamedov who died in prison.

Yunus handed Zimeray a photo of Mamedov and said, "Let it be reminded about what is going on in Azerbaijan, how terrible it is to live with the feeling of helplessness ...".

Note that the ceremony, in addition to representatives of the democratic public of Azerbaijan, was attended by the CoE Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muiznieks, U.S. Ambassador Richard Morningstar, the head of the OSCE Office in Baku Koray Targay, and heads of other diplomatic missions.

The Order of the Legion of Honor is one of the most prestigious national awards of France and the world, which is awarded by the President of this country for their outstanding achievements in the development of bilateral relations, promoting peace, development, culture, science, democracy and human rights. -06C -