The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), by a vote of 76 in favor and 10 against, yesterday approved a resolution not to ratify the credentials of Azerbaijan’s delegation, concluding that Baku has “not fulfilled major commitments” stemming from it joining the Council of Europe twenty years ago.

Following the vote, Baku announced that it is ending its participation in PACE and accused the organization of being anti-Azerbaijan and “xenophobic”.

“Very serious concerns remain as to [Azerbaijan’s] ability to conduct free and fair elections, the separation of powers, the weakness of its legislature vis-à-vis the executive, the independence of the judiciary and respect for human rights, as illustrated by numerous judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and opinions of the Venice Commission,” the Assembly said in a resolution, based on a report by Mogens Jensen (Denmark, SOC).  

PACE also cited the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, noting that Azerbaijan’s leadership “did not acknowledge the very serious humanitarian and human rights consequences” stemming from the lack of free and safe access through the Lachin Corridor, and recalling its condemnation of the September 2023 military operation “which led to the flight of the entire Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and to allegations of ‘ethnic cleansing’.”

According to the resolution, the Azerbaijani delegation may resume its activities in PACE when conditions provided by the Rules of Procedure are met.