Baku Court of Appeal considered on Thursday, November 12, the appeal of Leyla Yunus, the imprisoned director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy, and her husband Arif Yunus, APA news agency reports.

The Main Medical Department of the Penitentiary Service sent a letter to the court, claiming that A.Yunus’ blood pressure is much higher than normal.

Yunus’ lawyer Afgan Mammadov further addressed the hearing, filing a petition on commuting the pre-trial detention on A.Yunus.

The public prosecutor asked the court to reject the petition, but the court upheld it, releasing A. Yunus under house arrest.

The hearing will be continued.

A criminal case was launched against them under several clauses of the Azerbaijani Criminal Code.

On 28 April 2014, Arif Yunus and his wife Leyla were detained at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport on their way to Doha, Qatar over allegation of spying for Armenia.

On August 13, 2015, the Baku Court on Grave Crimes sentenced Leyla Yunus to 8 years and 6 months in prison and her husband, Arif Yunus, to 7 years in prison.