PACE urges Azerbaijan to release Arsakh leadership 

ArmInfo.On January 27, the PACE winter session in Strasbourg held debates on the situation in  PACE member states in 2024. As a result, Resolution No. 2580 was adopted, which states that PACE highly appreciates the work of the Monitoring Committee, which monitors the situation in 14 countries.  As Turan reports, the document expresses concern about the backslidings on democracy and human rights violations in several countries, including Azerbaijan and Georgia.

In particular, the Assembly is "seriously" concerned about the  worsening state of democracy, the rule of law and human rights in  Azerbaijan. Specifically, the ongoing repression of political and  civil society activists, media representatives and other critics of  the government>. The resolution calls on the authorities to stop  persecution and immediately release all those detained on politically  motivated charges. The authorities are urged to revise laws governing  political parties, media and NGOs, taking into account the  recommendations of the Venice Commission. 

It also states that PACE continues to monitor the situation with the  detained military-political leadership of Artsakh and other arrested  Armenians, reiterating its call for their release. The Assembly also  strongly condemns the authorities' refusal to cooperate with the  Council of Europe Committee against Torture.  Additionally, the  Assembly condemned the refusal to invite PACE to observe the early  presidential and parliamentary elections of 2024. "According to  international observers, these elections did not meet international  standards for democratic elections and were held in conditions of  increased restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly and  association. 

The Assembly strongly condemns and deems unacceptable the declaration  made by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry in August 2024, labeling the  76 PACE members who voted to suspend the powers of the Azerbaijani  delegation as personae non gratae," the statement said. PACE urged  the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately lift this ban and begin a  constructive dialogue with the Council of Europe bodies to address  all unresolved issues.