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MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION (2024/2698(RSP))

On Azerbaijan, notably the repression of civil society and the cases of Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu and Ilhamiz Guliyev

B-9-2024-0231

on behalf of the S&D Group · Rapporteur: Pedro Marques, Matthias Ecke

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 4 Sept 2026

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

A resolution on Azerbaijan denouncing the repression of civil society, independent media, and political opposition, and demanding the release of political prisoners including Ilhamiz Guliyev and Gubad Ibadoghlu. It calls on the Commission to reconsider the energy partnership with Azerbaijan, stresses that releasing all political prisoners is a condition for any future EU partnership agreement, and reiterates calls for EU sanctions against Azerbaijani officials responsible for human rights violations.

Key points

  1. Urges the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Ilhamiz Guliyev and as many as 300 other political prisoners.
  2. Takes note of the release of Gubad Ibadoghlu into house arrest and calls on the authorities to lift the travel ban and drop all charges against him.
  3. Denounces the intensifying repression of civil society and political opposition and the crackdown on independent media in Azerbaijan.
  4. Condemns the latest arrests of journalists from Toplum, AbzasMedia, Kanal 13 and others on trumped-up charges and calls for their immediate release.
  5. Calls on the Commission to reconsider the 'strategic partnership' with Azerbaijan in the field of energy in light of the country's alarming human rights record.
  6. Stresses that the release of all political prisoners is an indispensable condition for signing any future partnership agreement with the EU.
  7. Reiterates its call for EU sanctions under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime to be imposed on Azerbaijani officials who have committed serious human rights violations.

Who is affected

  • Azerbaijani authorities: must release political prisoners, lift travel ban on Ibadoghlu, and drop charges.
  • Azerbaijani civil society, journalists, and political opposition: face repression and arrests.
  • EU Commission: asked to reconsider energy partnership with Azerbaijan.
  • Azerbaijani officials: subject to potential EU sanctions for human rights violations.

Figures and deadlines

  • 300: number of political prisoners to be released.