What changed

B100567/2025

European Parliament resolution on the arbitrary arrest and sentencing of academics Bahruz Samadov and Igbal Abilov in Azerbaijan

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Azerbaijan,

– having regard to Rules 144150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

✦ Replaces the original recitals with new ones that broaden the context to nearly 400 political prisoners, add details on the two academics' sentences, and mention the arrest of Ali Karimli.

whereas doctoral researcher and peace activist Bahruz Samadov and minority rights scholar Igbal Abilov were both arrested in 2024 on fabricated charges of treason; whereas on 23 June 2025 Samadov was sentenced to fifteen years in prison; whereas Abilobv was sentenced on 20 May 2025 to eighteen years in prison; whereas neither Samadov nor Abilov received a fair trial and were denied access to adequate legal defence and medical care; whereas another scholar, Fazil Gasimov, is also behind bars and requires urgent medical care;

A. whereas since the beginning of 2025, the number of political prisoners in Azerbaijan has surged to almost 400 individuals, arbitrarily detained on politically motivated charges, among them civil society activists, opposition leaders, journalists, academics, and human rights defenders;

whereas the human rights situation in Azerbaijan has hit a historic low point since the government started its latest crackdown on dissent before COP29; whereas these sentencings reflect a broader pattern of complete dismantling of freedom of expression, where the government uses criminal charges, often related to treason, to silence journalists, academics, and activists;

B. whereas Igbal Abilov, a Talysh ethnic minority researcher and editor-in-chief of Talysh National Academy News, and Bahruz Samadov, a PhD student at Charles University, were sentenced to 18 and 15 years’ imprisonment respectively on charges of high treason;

whereas the EU is Azerbaijan's main trading partner, accounting for around 41% of Azerbaijan's total trade; whereas Article 21 TEU stipulates that the Union’s actions shall be guided by democracy, the rule of law, and the universality of human rights;

C. whereas the trials of both academics were held behind closed doors, in violation of international fair trial standards and the presumption of innocence; whereas the alleged evidence consisted solely of contacts and exchanges with Armenian scholars; whereas their health condition has deteriorated during imprisonment;

Urges the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Samadov, Abilov and Gasimov; insists that, in the interim, their cases are addressed in a manner consistent with international standards of due process, fair trial, and detention, in accordance with Azerbaijan’s obligations under international law;

D. whereas these cases follow the unjust and arbitrary sentencing of two other academics, Gubad Ibadoghlu and Fazil Gasimov;

Reiterates its profound concern regarding the ever-worsening human rights situation in Azerbaijan, in particular the government’s severe restrictions on freedoms of expression, assembly, and association;

E. whereas on 1 December 2025, prominent opposition leader Ali Karimli was arrested on alleged coup charges as part of the ongoing consolidation of authoritarian practices in Azerbaijan;

Urges Azerbaijan to swiftly comply with recommendations of the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture on physical ill-treatment by the police and pre-trial detention centres;

1. Strongly condemns the arrest, prosecution and sentencing of Bahruz Samadov and Igbal Abilov on politically motivated charges;

Considers that individuals detained on treason charges related to peace activism should be released following the initialling of the peace agreement with Armenia by the Azerbaijani government;

2. Calls on Azerbaijan to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners, in particular Mr Samadov, Mr Abilov and Mr Ibadoghlu, guarantee fair trials and due process, and end repression against journalists, activists, academics, opposition representatives, human right defenders and other unlawfully detained individuals, including those in exile;

Calls on the EU to reassess its funding mechanisms for Azerbaijani civil society, and align them with the strategies used to support Belarusian civil society;

3. Condemns in the strongest possible terms the arrest of Ali Karimli and calls for his immediate release;

Calls on the EU and Member States to prioritise, in line with Article 21 TEU, addressing Azerbaijan’s human rights violations and use their leverage as Azerbaijan’s main trading partner; insists that the EU suspends all energy trade relations with Azerbaijan and freeze Partnership and Cooperation Agreement negotiations, making both conditional on the release of all political prisoners and the reform of laws governing NGOs, media, and political parties; demands that the EU ends its reliance on fossil-fuel rich authoritarian countries;

4. Expresses particular alarm at the misuse of national security provisions as tools for judicial harassment, intimidation, and the criminalisation of freedom of expression, peace advocacy and public criticism; expresses deep concern at the continuing erosion of academic freedoms and cultural rights in Azerbaijan;

Calls for targeted sanctions under the EU GHRSR for those individuals responsible for the grave and consistent human rights violations in Azerbaijan, including state officials Fuad Alasgarov, Vilayat Eyvazov, Ali Naghiyev and Kamran Aliyev;

5. Calls on Azerbaijan to respect and align its legislation with international human rights obligations and standards, including those related to freedom of expression and academic freedom;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the HR/VP, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, and the President and Parliament of Azerbaijan.

6. Calls for the consideration of appropriate measures within the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against relevant responsible officials;

7. Calls on the EU Delegation in Baku to monitor the aforementioned cases and on the EU Human Rights Special Representative to conduct meetings with the detained academics;

8. Calls for the EU to further support human rights and democratic governance in Azerbaijan, including by increasing support for civil society, and ensure that diplomatic engagement remains consistent with the EU’s core values;

9. Stresses that progress on any future partnership agreement should be conditional on tangible advancements in human rights, the rule of law and respect for EU values and principles, including the release of political detainees and the lifting of restrictive legislation, as stated in Parliament’s previous resolutions;

10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the VP/HR, the Member States and the President, Government and Parliament of Azerbaijan.