"We call on the U.S. Department of State to respect independence of judicial administration," said spokesman of Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry Hikmat Hajiyev as he commented on the Department's statement on the verdict over Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunus.

Hajiyev said: “We call on the Department of State to respect the verdict passed by the court of first instance on Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunus on August 13, 2015 and independence of the judicial administration.”

“No one is persuaded in Azerbaijan for professional activity and political views. Everyone is equal before the law and being human rights activist does not relieve of criminal liability.”

“The trial took place in an open and free environment. All conditions were created for the mass media, public and political circles and representatives of the diplomatic corps and international organizations accredited in Azerbaijan, to watch the trial.

“Apart from local medical services, Leyla Yunus has been – since December 2014 at the request of the European Union – under a medical examination of a team of doctors led by Professor Dr. Christian Witt of Charite hospital, Germany.”

“Official Baku, which supports a constructive dialogue between nations as a component of the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, has repeatedly proposed building contacts between Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh region.”

“The USA is well aware of this as one of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries. On the basis of the constitution and laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan and international legal documents, protecting the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens and ensuring the rule of law is the supreme goal of the Azerbaijani government,” Hajiyev said.