Search in IPD completed (Video) (UPDATED)

A search in the office  of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD) at 63 Nizami Street, headed by Leyla Yunus ended at  about 19:00. The search was conducted by five officers of the law enforcement agency. At the insistence of Yunus a search was attended also by five representatives of media and civil society, whom Leyla Yunus trusts.

Witnesses were also involved. The inspectors confiscated all computers, books belonging to Arif Yunus, various print materials, including conference proceedings with participation of Leyla and Arif Yunus.

A protocol was drawn on the results. There were not  excesses.

After search in the office a search will also be conducted  in Yunus’s flat.—02С--

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2014 April 29 (Tuesday) 16:56:18

Leyla  Yunus, the  Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD) was questioned by the Investigation Department of the Serious Crimes Prosecutor General's Office , as a witness, said  her lawyer Khalid Bagirov. The interrogation was conducted nonstop from 7:00 to 16:00.

According to him, Yunus was  questioned on the case of journalist Rauf  Mirkadirov, accused of spying for Armenia and IPD projects with NGOs in Armenia. Yunus  herself told reporters  about a violation of her rights. "I could barely stand on my feet. I am  on feet since 11:00 pm yesterday. I have not slept for a day. Even to the toilet I went under police surveillance ," said Yunus, and  regarded it as torture. Now she is going to  the IPD office where will be a search.

She did not know on what ground  they conduct a searxch.

"They violate the law in everything. I did not sign any paper on  not leaving the country; but they did not allow us to leave, and  confiscated our passports," Yunus said.

Asking the question  what she was accused of, she replied : "I do not understand what I am accused of. They do not say that I am guilty of something. They ask if I make friend with Rauf Mirkadirov? ". Of course, I am his friend."

Speaking about the motives of the authorities Yunus said: "The main objective is to destroy the last human rights activist in Azerbaijan. They have got a chance to destroy us as human rights activists , a good journalist Rauf Mirkadirov presenting crazy accusations ."

Being asked if there was any search warrant at the office, Yunus said, "No there is not any warrant. "they do what they want."

At the moment a search began in the office  of IMD.—1606D--

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2014 April 29 (Tuesday) 16:08:58

Interrogation  of Leyla Yunus, the  Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD) lasting for over  in the Investigation Office for Serious Crimes  of the Prosecutor General's Office , is over.

Coming out of the prosecutor's office building, Yunus said that she was going with her lawyer to the office of  IPD, where will be a search. She regarded  the events as  torture against her. "This  is a torture. I have been on foot  for many hours.  They did not give me anything to drink or to go to the toilet," said Yunus.  She looked exhausted.-16D—

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2014 April 29 (Tuesday) 09:08:18

The Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD ) Leyla Yunus on Tuesday at 7.00 was taken for questioning to the Investigation Department of Grave Crimes of the General Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan. The head of IPD was detained in the Baku airport late in the evening yesterday. Her husband was hospitalized in a pre-stroke condition.

They were detained at departure to Doha, then to Paris and then to Brussels for an event under the auspices of the EU.

During the search at the airport, to which the lawyer Khalid Baghirov was not allowed, the couple was seized a laptop and paper records.

From the airport the spouses about 03.00 were delivered to their apartment to conduct a search.

L.Yunus refused to open the door to conduct a search. She said that she would agree only if civil society activists were present at the same time. The human rights activist said she did not trust law enforcement and they could plant something in the apartment.

In turn, law enforcement officials threatened to break the door, if they did not open it.

Then they tried to persuade the owners to open the door, assuring that it was "just a formal procedure" and discussed the option of entering the apartment for 5 people from law enforcement and civil society activists.

However, after about 4.00 Arif Yunus became ill and was hospitalized in a pre-stroke condition, and IMD director flatly refused to negotiate and said that if the door was broken , she would not participate in the search.

About 7.00 L.Yunus was invited to go for questioning to the Investigation Department for Serious Crimes Prosecutor General.

She went there, accompanied by the lawyer Khalid Baghirov and the lawyer for IPD.

As for the search of the IPD office, there is no reliable information on this. The office was cordoned off by police at night. But judging by the fact that there was light in the office at night, then the law enforcement officers entered it. The IPD employees themselves were not allowed there.

It is assumed that the detention of the spouses Yunus at the airport is due to the criminal case against the journalist Rauf Mirkadirov, who was arrested on charges of spying for Armenia. Mirkadyrov participated in projects that IPD implemented with civil society partners from Armenia.

Note that Yunusov last week was hospitalized with a hypertensive crisis.

L.Yunus herself suffers a severe form of diabetes. --0—

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The lawyer Khalid Baghirov was not allowed to join Yunus spouses at the airport. The airport security did not let him to the border control, beyond which the spouses have been detained.

Meanwhile, Arif Yunusov called some colleagues and said that they are still at the airport and their belongings are currently being searched. According to him, they are surrounded by people from the Ministry of National Security, the Prosecutor General and the Security Service of the airport. -0 -*   *   *

2014 April 29 (Tuesday) 00:44:20

The known right defender Leyla Yunus and her husband, specialist on conflicts Arif Yunusov, were detained in the Baku airport late evening of April 28 before departure to Doha. From Doha they were heading to Paris, then to Brussels for EU action.

When passing the border point they were told that their leaving the country is prohibited. After the Western diplomats accompanying the spouses, in the face of the French Ambassador and the Deputy U.S. Ambassador spoke to the Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration, Novruz Mammadov, Yunus and her husband were allowed to pass, but then again stopped already when boarding the plane.

Yunus told Turan by phone that four persons in civilian clothes arrived with a video camera and tried to question the spouses. But Yunus refused to do it without a lawyer.

At 23:30 the arrived men stated that the couple were detained. Their bags will be searched. The search will continue in their office, and then in their flat. The lawyer Khalid Baghirov went to the airport. -0-