German foreign minister: The state of human rights in Azerbaijan is alarming

At a press conference in Baku on the margins of COP29, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the human rights situation in Azerbaijan is worrisome. According to her, Germany advocates for the release of critics of the authorities, and she plans to raise this issue during her meeting with her Azerbaijani counterpart.

Baerbock noted, “Regardless of this climate conference, the situation of human rights has always been part of political discussions between the German and Azerbaijani governments. The state of human rights in Azerbaijan is alarming. The arrests of media representatives, activists, and members of the opposition are particularly worrisome. There are also cases closely related to Germany, such as the travel ban on Gubad Ibadoghlu, which I detailed during my previous visit and in discussions that followed. There will be further meetings on this issue. As German foreign minister, I would like to emphasize that the entry ban on 76 members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is absolutely unacceptable. This also applies to members of the Bundestag and does not comply with Azerbaijan’s obligations in the Council of Europe,” Baerbock noted.