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Human rights commissioner of the Council of Europe, Nils Muiznieks, U.S. State Department, the U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan and human rights organizations, such as the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and Human Rights Watch, have condemned the detention human rights activist Leyla Yunus in Baku.

Human rights commissioner Nils Muižnieks has expressed concern at the detention of activist Leyla Yunus and her husband by Azerbaijan authorities. In his statement (http://www.humanrightseurope.org/2014/04/azerbaijan-muiznieks-dismayed-by-detention-of-human-rights-activist/) Nils Muižnieks has noted that he was dismayed at the news that human rights defender Leyla Yunus and her husband have been detained at Baku airport.

“Unfortunately, this is an additional example showing the extent of intimidation and repression of critical voices in Azerbaijan, a problem which I have repeatedly highlighted. The authorities must immediately halt such practice and take urgent measures to ensure that the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly are respected. As a member of the Council of Europe, Azerbaijan has the duty to comply with its human rights obligations and commitments,” the commissioner stated.

In its turn, the U.S. State Department on Tuesday expressed concern over the increasing pressure on human rights activists and journalists in Azerbaijan and again called on the authorities in Baku to ensure respect for freedom of expression, assembly and association. "We are extremely concerned about the limitation of the space for activities to be implemented by the civil society activists, including arrests of democracy advocates and independent journalists," stated the offivial representative of the spokesman of the State Department in an interview with the Washington correspondent for the Azerbaijani news agency "Turan".

"Just as in Rauf Mirkadirov’s case, we are concerned about the actions of the Azerbaijani authorities carried out against Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunus who were engaged in the process of dialogue and confidence-building measures for the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict," she said.

According to the Azerbaijani news agency "APA" the U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan reported that at the request of the spouses the U.S. Charge d'Affaires to Azerbaijan Derek Hogan had met them at the airport on April 28: "We have also get in touch with the authorities of Azerbaijan on this issue. Just as in Rauf Mirkadirov’s case, we are concerned with the fact that the measures undertaken by the Government of Azerbaijan may be associated with Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunus’ participation in projects aimed at building confidence and promoting peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict."

Norwegian Helsinki Committee condemns the detention of prominent Azerbaijani human rights defender Leyla Yunus and raises the alarm she may be facing arrest and criminal charges. “As far as we know, no concrete legal claim has been brought against either of the two, neither Leyla, nor Arif, but we fear an arrest is imminent. If she is arrested, Leyla Yunus will be the first woman human rights defender to be subjected to such serious repercussions in Azerbaijan,” reads the statement of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee.

According to the statement the action taken against them may be connected to their long-term engagement for dialogue between Azerbaijanis and Armenians. It is just a few days ago that another promoter of dialogue and a partner of Leyla Yunus, award-winning journalist Rauf Mirgadirov was arrested on "charges of espionage”, risking from seven years to life in prison.

Norwegian Helsinki Committee urges all states and international organizations to loudly protest the detention of Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunus and the arrest of Rauf Mirkadirov. Without dialogue there will never be peace, criminalizing it is in itself a crime.

International organization Human Rights Watch condemned the arrest of Leyla Yunus too. “Leyla and Arif were on the way to attend a conference in Brussels to which they were invited. Nothing should have prevented them from boarding their flight: they are neither suspects nor witnesses in any criminal case and they had not then been summoned for questioning,” Rachel Denber, Deputy Director of the Europe and Central Asia Division, stated.

She also notes that for more than two decades, Leyla has dedicated herself to building bridges between Armenian and Azerbaijani civil societies. According to her, Mirkadirov and Leyla also have routinely and publicly criticized the dramatic crackdown on dissent that has been underway in Azerbaijan for the past two years.

“In 10 days French President Francois Hollande will pay an official visit to Baku, a major event in which the Azerbaijani government is seriously invested. It will closely coincide with the start of Azerbaijan’s rotating chairmanship of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, which the Azerbaijani government is using to boost its prestige on the international arena. I hope that President Hollande will insist on seeing Leyla when he is in Baku, and will make clear to his counterpart that her freedom, and that of Rauf Mirgadirov, is extremely important to him, and to French-Azeri relations,” Rachel Denber stated.