MOSCOW, October 5 (RIA Novosti) - The family of 58-year old Leyla Yunus, who was once a personal interpreter for Margaret Thatcher, have called on oil company BP and the British government to pressure the Azerbaijani government to release her, following the arrest in July over charges of fraud and treason, The Telegraph reported Sunday.
"Leyla has been beaten and dragged by her hair by a prison guard and she is being subjected to constant psychological abuse," Leyla's brother-in-law, Ramis Yunus, told The Telegraph. "I urge BP and the British Government to speak out and pressure the government of Azerbaijan into releasing all political prisoners, including Leyla and my brother."
"She [Margaret Thatcher] would have found both political and economic means to pressure the government of Azerbaijan to let them go," he added.
Arif Yunus, Ramis Yunus' brother and Leyla's husband, was taken to prison a few days after her.
According to Leyla's family, they were arrested as political prisoners for her publication of a list of 98 political prisoners, as well as her efforts in facilitating peace initiatives between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev, has been accused of being responsible for the arrests of rights campaigners, journalists and lawyers, according to the newspaper.
"The context leading up to these recent charges, including the harassment they have endured over the past four months, make it clear that the charges against Leyla and Arif Yunus are bogus and intended to silence them," Rachel Denber, deputy Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said on July 31, following Leyla's arrest.
However, the Azerbaijani government denies that the charges are politically motivated. Meanwhile, Ramas Yunus told the newspaper that the arrest was a government tactic to get rid of all opposition ahead of the European Games to be held in Baku next year, sponsored by BP, adding that BP should withdraw its sponsorship.
But BP claimed that it had "a strong and long-standing commitment to respecting the human rights and dignity of all people, wherever we do business" in a statement made to The Telegraph, refraining from commenting on its sponsorship.
