European Parliament denounces violations of human rights and international law by Azerbaijan

In a resolution adopted on 24 October, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) strongly condemned the Azerbaijan regime’s longstanding domestic and extraterritorial repression of activists, journalists, opposition leaders, and others, including EU nationals. 

According to MEPs, repression has noticeably intensified ahead of the upcoming 29th United Nations Climate Change conference (COP29) to be held in Baku on 11 to 22 November. MEPs argue that Azerbaijan’s ongoing human rights abuses are incompatible with its hosting of the climate conference and encourage EU leaders such as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to use the gathering as an opportunity to address the country’s poor track record in this field.

The Parliament also called on the government in Baku to cease all forms of repression in and beyond Azerbaijan, release all persons arbitrarily detained and drop all politically motivated charges.

Citing Azerbaijan’s continuous human rights abuses and fears that increased gas imports from Azerbaijan to the EU might be compensated in turn by Baku importing Russian gas, MEPs called for the EU’s dependency on gas exports from Azerbaijan to end. They also asked the European Commission to suspend the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding on the Strategic Partnership in the field of energy between the EU and Azerbaijan.

MEPs called for the signing of a long-awaited peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia. They also called for the withdrawal of all Azerbaijani troops from the entirety of Armenia’s sovereign territory and the release of the 23 Armenian prisoners of war detained following Azerbaijan’s retaking of the Nagorno-Karabakh region last year. Parliament called on member states to freeze exports of all military and security equipment to Azerbaijan, while warning that further Azerbaijani military action against Armenia would be met by serious consequences.

Find out more

Press release