29/05/2026 Legal Affairs and Human Rights
The Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, meeting in Tallinn on 27 May, has expressed its deep concern regarding the systemic pattern of “silencing critical voices in Azerbaijan”, including through restrictive legislative measures – notably the Law on the Media, the Law on Political Parties and the Law on Non-Governmental Organisations – whose effect has been to “suppress independent journalism, genuine political opposition, civic space and freedom of expression”.
It condemned the ongoing detention and prosecution of Anar Mammadli, a human rights defender, election monitor and winner of the 2014 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize. It also denounced the repression affecting journalists and staff of independent media previously operating in Azerbaijan, bloggers, pro-democracy activists, opposition figures and human rights defenders, many of whom remain in detention.
In this regard, the committee is concerned about the significant rise in the number of reported political prisoners – 328 in May 2026 – and by the high number of leading judgments of the European Court of Human Rights still pending implementation in respect of Azerbaijan.
Adopting a report by Christophe Lacroix (Belgium, SOC), the committee urged Azerbaijan “to respect its international obligations under the Statute of the Council of Europe,” the European Convention on Human Rights and other international human rights treaties.
The parliamentarians called on the Azerbaijani authorities to cease the threats and prosecutions of individuals who have been targeted due to their journalistic activities, reporting on corruption, a pro-democratic stance, or their defence of human rights, and to ensure the immediate release of those detained. Furthermore, they called for the release of those found to be political prisoners, in accordance with the definition set out in PACE Resolution 1900 (2012).
According to the adopted text, Azerbaijan must re-initiate its engagement in the Committee of Ministers’ process to supervise the implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and implement all judgments of the Court still pending.
In addition, the committee considers that the Azerbaijani authorities should refrain from using their decision not to submit a parliamentary delegation to the Assembly as a pretext not to fully abide by their obligations and commitments as a member state and as a State Party to Council of Europe treaties.
Finally, it proposed that the Secretary General of the Council of Europe make use of the powers conferred on him under Article 52 of the Convention, “in order to obtain explanations from the Azerbaijani authorities as to how their internal law ensures the effective implementation of the Convention”.
The report will be debated during the June plenary session (22-26 June).