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2 Azerbaijan rights activists charged with treason

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  • 2 Azerbaijan rights activists charged with treason

    Associated Press International
    July 31, 2014 Thursday 8:33 PM GMT

    2 Azerbaijan rights activists charged with treason

    BAKU, Azerbaijan


    BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) - Two prominent human rights activists in
    Azerbaijan have been charged with spying for Armenia, with one of them
    jailed for three months pending trial.

    In a joint statement issued Thursday the general prosecutor's office
    and national security ministry outlined the charges against Leila and
    Arif Yunus, accusing the couple of recruiting citizens of Azerbaijan
    to work for the secret services of Armenia. Tensions between the
    neighboring former Soviet republics remain high over the disputed
    territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.

    Human Rights Watch said the charges "are bogus and intended to silence
    them" and called for an end to "this campaign of intimidation against
    Azerbaijan's leading human rights defenders."

    U.S. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the charges are
    "deeply concerning and represent a further restriction on peaceful
    civil society activities in Azerbaijan."

    "These charges appear to be connected with their participation in
    constructive people-to-people programs that aim to ease tensions and
    build confidence in the region," she said. "We urge the Government of
    Azerbaijan to respect the universal rights of its citizens, ensure
    they are afforded all the fair trial guarantees to which all citizens
    are entitled, and allow them to freely express their views in
    accordance with international human rights commitments and
    obligations."

    Leila Yunus was detained Wednesday and ordered held for three months.
    Her husband was allowed to remain free under police supervision.

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