What changed

A. whereas Ali Karimli, Chairman of the AzerbaijanAzerbaijani Popular Front Party and a prominent opposition figure,Party, has been held in pre-trialpretrial detention since 29 November 2025, extendedwith onit 10extended Junetwice foruntil further13 fiveNovember months,2026, on charges of alleged violent seizure of power, which he denies;denies, carrying a potential life sentence;

B. whereas Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have reported a serious deterioration in his detention conditions, including restrictions on communication, readingfood materialsparcels and fooddrinking parcels,water, lack of ventilation and access to drinking water,ventilation, resultingsleep indeprivation, severe dehydration and him fainting during a court hearing on 6 August 2026;fainting; whereas Amnesty International has warned that this may amount to torture or ill-treatment;

C. whereas Anar Mammadli was sentenced on 7 September 2026 to 13 years in prison on charges including alleged currency smuggling, illegal entrepreneurship, tax evasion, money laundering andmultiple documentcriminal forgery;charges; whereas the European Court of Human Rights has raised(ECtHR) seriouspreviously concernsfound abouthis thedetention politicalpolitically naturemotivated; ofwhereas his trial,co-defendant, includingjournalist misuseAnar ofAbdullayev, criminalwas law;sentenced to 12 years;

D. whereas these cases form part of a broader pattern of repression against opposition figures, journalists, human rights defenders, activists,activists and academics in Azerbaijan andacademics, inwith exile,over with300 political prisonersprisoners, reachingincluding 400;Armenian prisoners;

Condemns1. Strongly condemns the continued politically motivated detention and imprisonment of Ali KarimliKarimli, Anar Mammadli and Anar Abdullayev; calls for histheir immediate and unconditional release; demands that the Azerbaijani authorities ensure adequate drinking water, food, ventilation, medical care, confidentiallawyers accessand tofamily lawyerscontact; andcalls regularfor familyindependent contactinvestigations into allegations of ill-treatment; urges respect for Karimlidue process and allfair-trial detainees;guarantees; calls for independentfull investigationsimplementation intoof allegationsECtHR judgments in the Mammadli group of ill-treatment;cases;

Calls for the immediate release of Anar Mammadli and urges the Azerbaijani authorities to provide him with adequate medical care and respect due process and fair-trial guarantees; calls for the full implementation of ECHR judgements in Mammadli group of cases;

2. Calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to end reprisals against peaceful critics, journalists, human rights activists, opposition leaders and academics, release all political prisoners and drop criminal charges against them; urges an end to the misuse of criminal and national security laws to silence non-governmental organisations and media, and urges respect for judicial independence; welcomes Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu’s arrival in Germany for urgent medical treatment; calls for all criminal charges against him to be lifted; expresses concern about the detention of EU citizens, including French national Anass Derraz;

Calls upon the Azerbaijani authorities to end broader reprisals against peaceful critics, journalists, human rights activists, opposition leaders, and academics, including those in exile, and release all political prisoners;

3. Calls on the VP/HR and Member States to ensure diplomatic engagement respects democratic values and to prepare targeted measures under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime; calls on the EU Delegation in Baku and Member State embassies to monitor trials;

Welcomes the arrival of Dr Gubad Ibadoglu to Germany for receiving urgent medical treatment after his detention and house arrest; calls for immediate lifting of all the criminal charges against him;

4. Reiterates that any future EU-Azerbaijan partnership agreement should be conditional on tangible improvements in human rights and the rule of law, including the release of political prisoners;

Calls on the High Representative and the Member States to ensure that diplomatic engagement remains consistent with the EU’s core values and to prepare evidence-based proposals for targeted measures under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against officials responsible for serious human rights violations;

5. Calls on the Commission to increase support for Azerbaijani civil society and independent media, including those in exile;

Reiterates that any future EU-Azerbaijan partnership agreement should be conditional on verifiable improvements in human rights and the rule of law, including the release of political prisoners;

6. Regrets the Milli Majlis’s decision to suspend cooperation with Parliament and calls for its resumption;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the High Representative, the Member States and the Azerbaijani authorities.

7. Condemns transnational repression against Azerbaijani critics abroad; calls on Member States to subject extradition requests concerning government critics to rigorous scrutiny;