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Yesterday in Baku Azerbaijani security forces completed the search in the office of the Institute for Peace and Democracy as well as the apartment of the Institute’s director, prominent human rights activist Leyla Yunus. On Monday evening Leyla Yunus and her husband Arif Yunus were detained by the police in the airport. Later Yunus was hospitalized in pre-infraction condition, while Leyla Yunus after the sleepless night was taken to the Prosecutor General's office, where she was questioned for 9 hours.

As Azerbaijani news agency Turan reports, at around 7 p.m. the search in the office of the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD) headed by Leyla Yunus was completed. The search was conducted by five officers of the law enforcement agency. However, upon Yunus’s insistence the search was attended also by five representatives of media and civil society. Witnesses were also involved.

The inspectors confiscated all computers, books belonging to Arif Yunus, various print materials, including conference proceedings with participation of Yunus couple.

It is noteworthy that the book, a collection of Akif Nagi articles on Karabakh problem was seized. Akif Nagi is the head of “Karabakh Liberation Organization” which stands for the military solution of Karabakh conflict.

As the news agency APA reports, after the search the human rights defender told the journalists that several contracts, books written by Arif Yunus, as well as calling card given by an Armenian historian to Leyla Yunus in 1994 have been seized from the office.

Turan reports that the apartment of Leyla Yunus was as well searched. There besides her lawyer Khalid Bagirov, 5 representatives of mass media and civil society were present-expert Isazade Azad, director of the agency Turan Mehman Aliyev, columnist of Azadlig Seymour Khaziev, a lawyer Jawad Javadli and the lawyer of Institute of Reporter’s Freedom and Safety Gunay Ismailov.

During the search several documents and printed materials were seized. There were no computers in the apartment. Personal computers of the couple had been seized the day before from IPD and when they were detained in the airport. Law enforcement agents have left the apartment of Yunus.

As lawyer Bagirov clarifies Leyla Yunus has been involved in the case as a witness and naturally she has’nt signed any document stating that she cannot leave the country. However, her passport has been illegally taken from her and the defense will strive to return the document. Arif Yunus, according to the lawyer, is not involved in the case at all. He is not even a witness, said Bagirov.

Concerning the detention of Leyla Yunus and the search of IDP office and her apartment Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan issued a statement. It is noted in the statement that the detention of Yunus couple in the airport is explained by the fact that they should testify on certain criminal case. The statement doesn’t specify any particular case.

The press release states that despite personally handed writs and calls on the phone Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunus “unreasonably deviated from the investigation”. It is further reported that on April 25 Arif Yunusov was hospitalized with a diagnosis of “hypertensive crisis and hypertensive disease III”. Although on April 28 he was released, he did not show up to testify in the investigation and tried to “withdraw large amount of money from the bank”.

On the evening of April 28 Leyla and Arif “in order to leave the country forever” with the assistance of a number of foreign countries, arrived at the airport and wanted to fly to Doha and then to one of the European countries. However, their attempt to evade the investigation was stopped, according to the press release.

Based on the decision of the Yasamal district court of Baku, inspection of the baggage was conducted and several documents and other objects were seized, including documents on Leyla Yunus’ property abroad, data carriers and other documents that are considered material evidence.

According to the court’s decision, the places of her work and residence were also searched. Leyla Yunus is attracted to the case as a witness while Arif Yunusov has again been hospitalized to continue treatment. All necessary and urgent investigative-operational measures are continuing, the Prosecutor General’s statement reads.