On Continued repression of civil society and independent media in Azerbaijan and the cases of Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu, Anar Mammadli, Kamran Mammadli, Rufat Safarov and Meydan TV

B100218/2024

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on Continued repression of civil society and independent media in Azerbaijan and the cases of Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu, Anar Mammadli, Kamran Mammadli, Rufat Safarov and Meydan TV

(2024/2994(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Azerbaijan,

– having regard to Rules 150(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

whereas COP29 hosted in Baku was a perfect opportunity for the government to greenwash its image in a new playing field, environment and climate, while violation of human rights persisted ;

whereas Gubad Ibadoghlu, economist and 2024 Sakharov prize nominee, remains under house arrest on trumped-up charges, and is not allowed to leave Azerbaijan to receive the urgent and life-saving health care he requires ;

whereas the health of Anar Mammadli, human rights defender and climate advocate, has deteriorated in detention ;

whereas press freedom in Azerbaijan has considerably shrunk since President Heydar Aliyev arrived in power in 2003, following his father ; whereas he has been re-elected President in 2008, 2013, 2018 and 2024, with elections being marred each time by numerous irregularities ;

whereas the authorities target in particular remaining independent media and their journalists, such as Abzas Media, Kanal 13, Toplum TV and Meydan TV ;

Strongly condemns the new wave of arrests and repression by Azeri government, following the COP29 in Baku ;

Is concerned about the continued repression of civil society and independent media in Azerbaijan, in particular the cases of Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu, Anar Mammadli, Kamran Mammadli, Rufat Safarov, six of Meydan TV’s journalists and other medias;

Calls for the immediate release all prisoners detained under politically-motivated charges;

Invites the authorities to abide by their international commitment and ensure correct treatment of prisoners, protected from torture and other ill-treatment, with medication, food and water;

Calls on Azerbaijani authorities to repeal and reform the restrictive media and NGO laws, including the Law on grant, which resemble foreign agent law elsewhere in the world ; underlines this set of laws have a concrete and negative impact on civil society organisations that protect the human rights of persons in vulnerability, including LGBTI individuals ;

Invites Member States to facilitate the issuance of emergency visas and temporary relocation to support civil society and human rights defenders;

Calls on the Commission to suspend the strategic partnership with Azerbaijan in the field of energy;

Insists on making any partnership agreement conditional to effective enforcement by Azerbaijan of human rights commitments with clear benchmarks, efforts to ensure peace and security in the region and respect of internationally recognized borders of its neighboring countries ; recalls to this end the need to release all Armenian political prisoners and prisoners of war;

Regrets that Azerbaijan has not ratified several important International Labour Organisation’s intruments on forced labour, occupational safety or social security ;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Member States and the President, Government and Parliament of Azerbaijan.