PACE resolution on Azerbaijan must lead to urgent Council of Europe action

The resolution, adopted on 24 June 2026, sends an important signal at a time when Azerbaijani authorities have intensified repression against independent journalists, human rights defenders, civil society organisations, opposition figures, independent researchers and other critical voices. It also confirms that Azerbaijan’s absence from PACE cannot be used to avoid scrutiny. Azerbaijan remains a Council of Europe (CoE) member state and a party to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and remains bound by its obligation to implement judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). 

The resolution and accompanying report reflect several long-standing concerns raised by Azerbaijani independent civil society and HRHF and rightly link the current crackdown to Azerbaijan’s persistent failure to implement ECtHR judgments. PACE recognises the systemic silencing of dissent in Azerbaijan, including the dismantling of independent media, the rise in reported political prisoners, the misuse of criminal law, and the role of restrictive NGO and media legislation in suppressing civic space.  

HRHF draws particular attention to the resolution’s reference to Anar Mammadli, a prominent human rights defender, election monitor and laureate of the 2014 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, who has remained detained since April 2024. He became a political prisoner for the second time, and his case is emblematic of the wider repression facing independent civil society in Azerbaijan.  

HRHF regrets that the resolution and explanatory memorandum do not name unjustly detained journalist and woman human rights defender Ulviyya (Ali) Guliyeva. Her case is also emblematic of the current crackdown on independent media and women human rights defenders in Azerbaijan.  

The resolution’s call for the Secretary General of the CoE to use Article 52 ECHR is especially important. Article 52 allows the Secretary General to request explanations from a member state on how its internal law ensures effective implementation of the Convention. In Azerbaijan’s case, this is urgently needed. 

The resolution also points to the need to protect Azerbaijani civil society in exile, given cases of transnational repression. It calls on CoE member states and, where applicable, observer states and the European Union, to facilitate visas and consider asylum requests for those at risk of persecution, and to refuse politically motivated extradition requests. Recent in absentia convictions of exiled Azerbaijani critics further increase the risks of extradition requests, travel restrictions, asset seizures and other forms of cross-border coercion. CoE follow-up should address these practices as part of its response to transnational repression.   

CoE cooperation activities should be made contingent on clear and measurable human rights progress. Future CoE action plans must include meaningful engagement with independent civil society and human rights defenders, including those in exile. 

The resolution is an important recognition of the situation for critical voices in Azerbaijan. It now must lead to urgent CoE action. 

Human Rights House Foundation and Human Rights House Azerbaijan call on: 

• the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to trigger Article 52 ECHR in relation to Azerbaijan; 

• the Committee of Ministers to strengthen supervision of pending ECtHR judgments and consider Article 46 §4 infringement proceedings where Azerbaijan refuses implementation; 

• PACE rapporteurs and committees to continue monitoring the situation, including the cases of Anar Mammadli, Ulviyya Ali and other detained journalists, human rights defenders and civic actors; 

• CoE member states to refuse politically motivated extradition and deportation requests, and to protect Azerbaijani civil society in exile, also from transnational repression; 

• CoE bodies and donors to review cooperation activities with Azerbaijan to ensure they do not legitimise or support repressive institutions or government-controlled civil society structures; 

• CoE bodies and member states to make the release of all those detained on politically motivated charges a condition for any normalisation of cooperation with Azerbaijani authorities.