Date Type 19/08/2015 JUA 19/08/2015 UA Case No Country Mandate(s) AZE 3/2015 Azerbaijan Arbitrary detention; Freedom of expression; Freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; Health; Human rights defenders; Independence of judges and lawyers; CHN 9/2015 Hazardous China (People's substances and Republic of) wastes; Summary of the allegation transmitted Reply Allegations concerning the detention and sentencing of two human rights defenders 11/09/2015 as a result of their legitimate human rights work. According to the information received, on 13 August 2015, Ms. Leyla Yunus and Mr. Arif Yunusov, two Azerbaijani human rights defenders, were sentenced to eight and a half and seven years’ imprisonment respectively, after having been found guilty of ‘large scale fraud’, ‘forgery’, ‘tax evasion’ and ‘illegal business’. Both human rights defenders will allegedly be facing another trial at a future date concerning charges of treason which remain pending. Grave concern is expressed at the conviction and sentencing of Ms. Yunus and Mr. Yunusov, which are believed to be a direct response to their peaceful and legitimate human rights work. Ms. Yunus was the subject of five previous communications dated 24 August 2011, see A/HRC/19/44, case no. AZE 2/2011; 5 March 2012, see A/HRC/20/30, case no. AZE 1/2012; 9 May 2014, see A/HRC/27/72, case no. AZE 3/2014; 12 August 2014, see A/HRC/28/85, case no. AZE 4/2014; and 13 February 2015, see A/HRC/29/50, case no. AZE 1/2015. Mr. Yunusov was the subject of two of the previous communication mentioned above; case no. AZE 3/2014 and case no. AZE 4/2014. Letter concerning the chemical disaster in Tianjin of 12 August 2015, which killed more than 100 individuals, including dozens of fire fighters and other emergency personnel, and reportedly injured over 700 people. According to the information received, nearby residents, firemen and emergency personnel did not know which chemicals were being stored at the facility (nor the Government) and in what quantities. The letter expresses concern about the reported lack of information about hazardous substances in order to protect and respect the rights to life and health as well as restrictions on public access to health and safety information and the freedom of the press in reporting on the incident and its aftermath. The letter calls on the Chinese Government to ensure complete transparency in the investigation, including both causes and effects of the explosion, and to assess whether China’s laws for hazardous substances and wastes are consistent with international human rights standards. A/HRC/31/79 79