European Parliament adopts resolution calling on Azerbaijan to release Artsakh military-political leadership

On December 19, the European Parliament adopted the resolution on the continued repression of civil society and independent media in Azerbaijan with 434 votes in favor, 30 against, and 89 abstentions, the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) reported.

The MEPs strongly condemned the repression of press freedom and the crackdown on dissent by the Aliyev regime and call on the EU executive to enact targeted sanctions against Azerbaijani officials violating human rights and suspending the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding on a Strategic Partnership in the Field of Energy, further insisting that Azerbaijan must “unconditionally release and drop all charges against human rights defenders, journalists, political and other activists prosecuted under fabricated and politically motivated charges”.

The European Parliament also condemned the ongoing repression of civil society, independent media, and political opposition in Azerbaijan. The resolution highlighted the escalating crackdown since 2023, particularly intensified around the COP29 summit, and called for the immediate release of all political prisoners. The resolution further highlighted the routine violation of prisoners’ human rights, including inhumane detention conditions, torture, and targeted harassment of female political prisoners.

The resolution mentioned the 23 Armenian POWs “including leaders of former self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh republic” and called for their immediate release along with all political prisoners in the country. During the parliamentary debate on December 18, several MEPs raised the issue of the Armenian hostages as well as the policies of aggression and violations of human rights directed at the indigenous Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh, with MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen calling for a “change in [the] approach” of the EP and increased sanctions against Azerbaijan particularly referencing the “max expulsion of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh”. Furthermore, MEP Marina Mesure stated that “human rights are systematically violated, Azerbaijan is one of the worst countries when it comes to press freedom, HRW has also documented torture and degrading treatment against prisoners who were detained after the operations in Nagorno-Karabakh” and decried a “Policy of repression against the Armenian neighbours”.