Nils Muižnieks, the Council of Europe (CoE) Commissioner for Human Rights, is disappointed with the actions by the Azerbaijani authorities.

“I am very disappointed by reports that the courts have extended the arrest of [Azerbaijani human rights activist] Leyla Yunus and [attorney] Intigam Aliyev,” Muzhnieks said commenting on the results of his visit to Azerbaijan’s capital city of Baku.

“I have discussed all these issues with the Attorney General Garalov and the Minister of Justice Mammadov, stressing the need to free Leyla Yunus, given the poor state of her health, but the opposite happened,” said the European Commissioner.

Muzhnieks noted that during the negotiations with the Azeri officials he dealt with the legal aspects of unfounded detention of human rights defenders, keeping them under arrest, and the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights.

Leyla Yunus is accused of national treason and collaborating with Armenia special services.