Euobserver: The Council of Europe must support human rights and hold Azerbaijan accountable
When Azerbaijan was accepted into the Council of Europe in 2001, it was seen as a constructive way to support the country’s progress toward democracy. Like all members, its admission came with certain obligations: uphold the standards of a pluralist democracy, respect the rule of law, and defend human rights, Euobserver writes.
Over the past nearly 25 years, however, the ruling regime of Azerbaijan has consistently failed to honor these commitments. Instead, it has steadily worked to solidify President Ilham Aliyev’s grasp on power, quashing opposition and dissent and restricting civil society.
Last January, the Council of Europe recognized these failures when it refused to ratify the credentials of Azerbaijan’s delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
This unprecedented step specifically referred to the deteriorating human rights situation in the country. As PACE convenes for its winter session later this month [January], Azerbaijan will again have an opportunity to present a delegation. However, a look back at the past year shows unambiguously that President Aliyev has failed to address PACE’s concerns and improve the human rights situation in Azerbaijan. In fact, the situation has worsened considerably.
As noted, local civil society activists had documented at least 331 political prisoners in the country as of December 2024, including 25 journalists. Those include members of Abzas Media, Toplum TV, and Meydan TV, all independent media outlets reporting on corruption and human rights abuses perpetrated by the Azerbaijani government. If, as expected, the sham trials result in convictions, these journalists will face repercussions long after their potentially lengthy sentences – a media law that took effect in early 2022 allows the government to bar journalists’ accreditation if they have a criminal record, effectively forcing these individuals to lose their livelihoods or leave the country. Now that the spotlight has shifted away from COP29, the repression has intensified. Neither President Aliyev’s recent rhetoric nor his actions indicate Azerbaijan has met the standards required to rejoin PACE.
But the international community must not sit back. “To that end, PACE members must use all the tools they can to hold Azerbaijan accountable. This includes confirming that Azerbaijan’s credentials remain suspended and establishing clear criteria for their restoration. PACE should also condition future funding under a renewed Action Plan on progress towards those criteria,” Euobserver writes, noting that Europe can no longer turn a blind eye to Azerbaijan’s transformation into an autocratic state. It is time to hold Baku accountable for its abysmal human rights record.
