The COP29 United Nations climate change conference that will start in Baku in less than three weeks is an opportunity for the Azerbaijani authorities to demonstrate the commitment to their international human rights obligations, EU High Representative Josep Borrell said in a speech, delivered yesterday at the European Parliament by European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit.
“It is an opportunity to reverse the worrying trend of the past years of an increasingly shrinking space for civil society, intensifying repression of independent media and dissenting voices, and the growing number of arbitrary arrests,” said Borrell.
He cited the cases of Gubad Ibadoghlu, Ilhamiz Guliyev, Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, Alasgar Mammadli, Anar Mammadli, and Bahruz Samadov, a young scholar and peace activist studying in Prague, who was arrested this Summer while visiting family in Azerbaijan.
“Our position is clear: the government of Azerbaijan should release all those who have been detained for exercising their fundamental rights, including journalists, human rights defenders and political activists,” Borrell said, in particular urging the Azerbaijani government to lift 2024 Sakharov prize finalist Dr Ibadoghlu’s travel ban without delay to allow him to access the medical treatment he needs abroad.
Borrell also mentioned that during his two recent visits to Baku, European Commissioner for Climate Action Wopke Hoekstra raised the human rights situation with the authorities and met with civil society representatives.
EU High Representative Josep Borrell added that COP29 was a historic opportunity for peace. “Azerbaijan and Armenia have never been so close to overcoming decades of conflict,” he said in his speech. “The Conference will be a historic chance for Azerbaijan and Armenia to demonstrate to the world their commitment to peace, and to muster the political will to sign a peace agreement.”
As European Union, we are determined to use the momentum of COP29 – which has been, obviously, criticised, but now it is a fact that it will take place – to reiterate our expectations that Azerbaijan honours its international human rights obligations. Retaliation for exercising freedom of expression is a clear violation of international human rights law. All those arbitrarily detained should be released and must have full access to the medical care they need. It is thanks to this Parliament that these messages are passed loudly and clearly.
We have to reiterate our concern over the human rights situation in Azerbaijan as regards to freedom of expression, assembly and association, and democracy.
We also have to continue to appeal to Azerbaijan to facilitate international access to Karabakh, to allow for the independent monitoring of the situation on the ground, and especially to allow Karabakh-Armenians to [make use of] the right to a safe return.
He added that the European Union will keep the channels of communication open and continue to lend its full support to the normalisation process and will stand ready to mobilise the necessary resources to allow all sides to reap the benefits of a lasting and sustainable peace.
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