{"id":29490,"date":"2024-09-26T09:24:22","date_gmt":"2024-09-26T07:24:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/free-anar.site\/?page_id=29490"},"modified":"2025-09-01T20:11:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T18:11:14","slug":"joint-statement-pace-should-hold-an-urgency-debate-to-address-the-grave-human-rights-situation-in-azerbaijan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.endrepression-az.org\/az\/joint-statement-pace-should-hold-an-urgency-debate-to-address-the-grave-human-rights-situation-in-azerbaijan\/","title":{"rendered":"Joint Statement: PACE should hold an Urgency Debate to address the grave human rights situation in Azerbaijan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” transparent_background=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”off” custom_width_px=”1080px” custom_width_percent=”80%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.25.2″ background_color=”#f3dc95″ transparent_background=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”off” custom_width_px=”1080px” custom_width_percent=”80%” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”7px|0px|40px|0px||” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”off” custom_width_px=”1080px” custom_width_percent=”80%” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.2″ text_font=”–et_global_heading_font||||||||” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” use_border_color=”off” border_style=”solid” inline_fonts=”Oswald” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Joint Statement: PACE should hold an Urgency Debate to address the grave human rights situation in Azerbaijan<\/h1>\n

International human rights groups, including Anar Mammadli Campaign to end repression in Azerbaijan, call for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to hold an Urgent Debate to address the escalating crackdown on critics and persistent human rights violations in Azerbaijan.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.25.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.25.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Ahead of its January 2025 vote on the renewal of Azerbaijan\u2019s credentials, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) should develop and enforce clear criteria that Azerbaijan should meet before its delegation can be readmitted to the assembly.<\/p>\n

Since PACE\u2019s decision in January 2024 not to ratify the credentials of Azerbaijan\u2019s parliamentary delegation, the Azerbaijani government has only intensified its relentless crackdown<\/a><\/span> on human rights defenders, lawyers, independent journalists, opposition politicians, civil society activists, and academics. While Azerbaijan has a longstanding and well-documented record of repressing critical voices, over the last year the authorities have accelerated their crackdown, targeting the remaining vestiges of independent civil society and media with baseless but serious criminal charges. Dozens of activists and media figures have been arrested, most on charges of smuggling, fraud, counterfeiting currency or drugs possession. Torture and ill-treatment remain widespread and many of the detainees have complained of ill-treatment in police custody.<\/p>\n

The crackdown together with the highly restrictive legal environment for the operations of independent civil society organizations and media threaten to eradicate all forms of dissent and legitimate human rights work.<\/p>\n

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe\u2019s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE ODIHR) described<\/a><\/span> the snap presidential and parliamentary elections held this year as \u201cnot competitive, held in a restrictive environment, and falling well short of democratic standards,\u201d and as a \u201ccontest devoid of competition.\u201d PACE was not invited to observe these elections.<\/p>\n

Given these developments, it is urgent for PACE members to continue to address the deteriorating human rights situation in Azerbaijan and demand that Azerbaijan complies with its statutory and human rights obligations as clear benchmarks before any restoration of the Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation\u2019s credentials in 2025.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Recommendations for PACE<\/strong><\/h4>\n

In light of the ongoing repression in Azerbaijan and the serious concerns raised by various Council of Europe bodies, we call upon the PACE to:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. During the urgent procedure debate at the fourth part of its 2024 session, demand the immediate and unconditional release of all wrongfully imprisoned individuals<\/strong>, seek the full restoration of their civil and political rights, and an end to the persecution of critical voices in Azerbaijan.<\/li>\n
  2. Call on the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to open an official inquiry into Azerbaijan’s implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights<\/strong> under Article 52 and insist on the Azerbaijani government\u2019s full cooperation in the process.<\/li>\n
  3. Enable PACE oversight of the Council of Europe\u2019s renewal of its Action Plan with Azerbaijan<\/strong> to ensure that any cooperation, including funding, is guided by measurable improvements in human rights and democratic practices and in particular addresses the issues concerning civil society identified by the ECtHR. Any such cooperation should include civil society and human rights defenders.<\/li>\n
  4. Through its Sub-Committee on the Implementation of Judgments, closely follow and engage with\u00a0 <\/span>the Committee of Ministers’ work on the execution of ECtHR judgments<\/strong>, particularly the Mammadli <\/em>and Ramazanova<\/em> groups of cases.<\/li>\n
  5. Ahead of the January 2025 vote on the renewal of Azerbaijan\u2019s credentials, develop and enforce clear criteria that Azerbaijan must meet prior to the ratification of the credentials,<\/strong> in particular those outlined by the PACE Monitoring Committee in its 2024 Report 15927 on honoring obligations and commitments by Azerbaijan.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    These criteria should include<\/strong>:<\/h4>\n