Leyla Yunus: Remember us!

The French press published a letter from Leyla Yunus to President Hollande

We publish it with small reductions.

The original text is here:

President of France

Francois Hollande

Dear Mr. President! France, as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group for 20 years made ​​great efforts for a peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict, the peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia. And now it is you that organize in the near future a meeting of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia. I do not for a moment doubt in your ardent desire to reach a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia. But how can we believe in the sincerity of Ilham Aliyev, in his desire for peace?..

He threw in prison leading activists of public diplomacy in Azerbaijan. Our Institute of Peace and Democracy since its foundation in 1995, has been working in the field of public diplomacy to achieve peace. In 2012, we created a unique joint Azerbaijani-Armenian site where open dialogue was conducted by representatives of civil society, journalists of the two countries, students, youth, who was born and raised in the context of the conflict...

And on April 19 this year, was arrested on charges of spying for Armenia a prominent journalist, activist of public diplomacy Rauf Mirkadyrov. On July 30 I was arrested, and on August 5, my husband Arif was. All of us are supporters of a peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict and we are accused of spying for Armenia. They use torture against me...

May 12 this year, I had the opportunity to see you at the Embassy of France in the course of your visit to Baku. I naively believed that the leaders of Western democracies will make efforts to prevent and stop the wave of repression that has ensued in Azerbaijan.

In early August, after my arrest, I sent you a letter in which I asked to pay attention to the most severe repression, gaining momentum in Azerbaijan. I know that the letter reached the addressee.

I do not know how long my health will allow me to remain in a solid mind and memory, are in prison they are doing their best to destroy me ... but I hope that my letter will be heard.

The authoritarian regime in Azerbaijan, which is supported by the European Union and the Council of Europe, destroys not only the future of the Azerbaijani people and our country, but also the peaceful development of the entire South Caucasus. Today, some 120 prisoners of conscience are in the dungeons, where they are exposed to all kinds of abuse and torture.

Mr. Hollande, when at a meeting you will shake hands with President Aliyev, remember the blood and tears of hundreds of human rights activists, including the blood of my family.

Sincerely Commander of the Order of Legion of Honor of France

Leyla Yunus

September 16, 2014