[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The credentials of Azerbaijan’s delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe were challenged on substantive grounds at the opening of the 2024 Winter Session on January 22 by German representative Frank Schwabe. In his speech he mentioned deteriorating situation with political prisoners in the country, the fact that Assembly rapporteurs were unable to visit Azerbaijan at least three times during 2023, and the lack of an invitation to the Assembly to observe the country’s 7 February presidential election.
The challenge was immediately referred to the Assembly’s Monitoring Committee for report and to its Rules Committee for opinion.
On 23 January 2023 the Committee issued and in-depth Report in which it proposed to the Parliamentary Assembly not to ratify the credentials of Azerbaijani delegation.
“The Monitoring Committee deplores that more than 20 years after joining the Council of Europe, Azerbaijan has not fulfilled major commitments stemming from its membership in the Organisation. Very serious concerns remain as to its ability to conduct free and fair elections, the separation of powers, the weakness of its legislature vis-à-vis the executive, the independence of the judiciary and respect for human rights, as illustrated by numerous judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and opinions of the Venice Commission. It is also concerned about the reported cases of “political prisoners” and the increased number of violations of freedom of expression, illustrated namely by recent arrests of independent journalists from Abzas media outlet”, stated in the Report.
The Report also mentions the cases of unlawful arrest of prominent journalist and human rights defenders of Azerbaijan, such as Ulvi Hasanli, Sevinc Vaqifqizi, Mahammad Kekalov, Nargiz Absalamova, Elnara Gasimova, Hafiz Babali, Ibrahim Humbatov, Tofig Yagublu, Gubad Ibadoghlu and Bakhtiyar Hajiyev.
The Report also records a high level of corruption and the “Azerbaijani Laundromat” denounced by the Assembly 2019.
“Azerbaijan is one of the countries having the highest number of non-implemented Court judgments and is still facing serious structural or complex problems, some of which had not been resolved for over ten years. More than 320 Court judgments against Azerbaijan have not yet been executed or have been only partially implemented”.
The Report will be debated by the Assembly on the evening of Wednesday 24 January.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
The Monitoring Committee of the Council of Europe recommends not to ratify the credentials of the parliamentary delegation of Azerbaijan
