Update April 30: Leyla Yunus and her husband were released after being detained for 11 hours. The safety of peacebuilders and human rights defenders in the Caucasus region remains under threat.
Update April 29: Today WPP received news that Leyla Yunus and her husband were arrested yesterday at the airport of Baku. WPP calls for the immediate release of Leyla Yunus and her husband. We urge everyone to read the statement below and to take action!
The Women Peacemakers Program (WPP) is greatly concerned about increasing threats towards peacebuilders and women human rights defenders in the Caucasus region. We support the statement issued by activists Leyla Yunus (Azerbaijan) and Laura Bagdasaryan (Armenia), who are demanding a safe environment for peace and human rights work, without the fear and threat of being prosecuted.
We urge everyone to support their urgent call and forward their statement to the governmental institutions of Azerbaijan as listed in the statement.
Joint Statement of Leyla Yunus and Laura Bagdasaryan
We, the two women – human rights defender and journalist, two mothers from Azerbaijan and Armenia, have been cooperating for almost 10 years, shoulder to shoulder in the uphill struggle for building and enhancing Public Dialogue between our nations warring for more than 20 years.
It is almost 10 years since we have been going hand in hand with joint articles, books, and finally with the first and still unique joint website. This is a ground for dialogue between Azerbaijanis and Armenians. It was the website where citizens of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Russia, Moldova, Ukraine, the USA and the EU countries communicated, argued and discussed major problems of our societies.
We are against future wars! We do not want our children and grand-children to hate and kill each other! We are against the politics sowing discord, against the hatred to the neighbor.
On April 19, 2014 the authorities of Azerbaijan arrested journalist Rauf Mirgadirov. He was arrested on charges of espionage for Armenia (Article 274 of the AR Criminal Code; term of punishment – from 10 years till life term). R. Mirgadirov is an active participant of numerous internet-conferences held in our website and international conferences held in Armenia. R. Mirgadirov, the Gerd Bucerius International Prize Winner and Honored Journalist of Azerbaijan, is imputed his participation in the public diplomacy actions.
On April 22, 2014 following the decision of the President of Azerbaijan, a joint group of investigators of the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of National Security was set up to ‘uncover a big network of spies of Armenia in Azerbaijan’. It is not difficult to foretell that they want to include the participants of our Dialogue in this network. They have already begun putting strain on Arif Yunusov, a husband of Leyla Yunus. A. Yunusov authored 8 books and over 230 articles on the contemporary history of Caucasus, particularly the Karabakh conflict. Every year starting from 2001 A. Yunusov has actively participated in international conferences held in Armenia.
Currently Arif Yunusov is hospitalized being in potentially stroke condition.
‘Uncovering the spy network’ the authorities of Azerbaijan will put an end to joint Azerbaijani-Armenian projects with participation of independent NGOs.
We are calling all the people of good will around the globe!
Raise your voice for protection of peace in Caucasus, for putting a stop to hatred and enmity between the Azerbaijani and Armenian people!
Call for immediate release of Rauf Mirgadirov, a father of 2 small girls!
Demand stop to persecution of the participants of the public diplomacy, the activists of our Dialogue, the advocates for peace and democracy in our countries!
SUPPORT US THROUGH THIS VERY TRYING TIME!
Forward this letter with the word ‘SUPPORT’ and your names to the addresses below:
The Administration of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
E-mail: office@pa.gov.az
Mr. Zakir Garalov, the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan
z.qaralov@prosecutor.gov.az
The Ministry of National Security of the Republic of Azerbaijan
cpr@mns.gov.az
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan
katiblik@mfa.gov.az
Send a copy of your letters also to our e-mail addresses below:
ipd1995@gmail.com
region@regioncenter.info
Dr. Leyla Yunus
Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour
Winner of the International Theodor-Haecker-Prize
Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy
Laura Baghdasaryan
Director of the “Region” Research Center
12 Dec '17 Today, we are pleased to share with you the Conference Report “Financial Inclusion for Freedom and Security” by the Women Peacemakers Program, Duke Law International Human Rights Clinic, Human Security Collective, Transnational Institute, the Charity & Security Network, in cooperation with the Knowledge Platform Security and Rule of Law.
7 Dec '17 Today, on the 13th day of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign, we bring you the sad news that from 15 December onwards, the Women Peacemakers Program (WPP) will have to close its doors. We would like to ask for your time to read what has driven us to make this decision.
7 Nov '17 On Thursday, 26 October 2017, a side event entitled, “Pulling the Rug from Under Our Feet: What is the UNSCR 1325 Without Civil Society Freedoms?” was hosted on the margins of the 17th anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325. The event was hosted by the Women Peacemakers Program (WPP) and the Dutch Mission, in collaboration with Duke Law’s International Human Rights Clinic, Al-Hayat Center for Civil Society Development, Arab Women Organisation of Jordan, NOVACT, Free Sight Association, Iraqi Al-Amal Association, Women Empowerment Organisation, NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. This article briefly looks at the main issues discussed during the event.
