PACE calls on Azerbaijan to open the Lachin corridor, release all Armenian prisoners

• 01.27.2023, 11:26
•  Europe,  Region,  World,  Armenia

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has called on Azerbaijan to immediately release all Armenian prisoners of war and civilian captives, Armradio.am reports.

In the resolution on the progress of member States under monitoring in 2022, the Assembly takes note of the most recent urgent notice of the European Court of Human Rights sent to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe calling for the monitoring of Azerbaijan’s implementation of its decision of 21 December 2022 regarding the Lachin Corridor, and calls for the immediate and full implementation of the interim measures decided by the Court.

The Assembly is also monitoring the situation around the Armenian prisoners of war and civilian captives who are still detained in Azerbaijan. The Assembly calls upon Azerbaijan to immediately release all detainees.

With respect to Armenia, the Assembly welcomes the marked progress in the democratic development of Armenia and calls on the authorities to complete the reform of the electoral framework, to continue the reform of the judiciary and to strengthen media freedom. The Assembly resolves to continue to closely follow developments with regard to institutional balances and the establishment of a democratic culture.

With respect to Azerbaijan, the Assembly welcomes the authorities’ declared commitment to political dialogue but regrets that in general, the situation in Azerbaijan has not improved and that a number of outstanding concerns with regard to the rule of law, pluralist democracy and human rights remain unaddressed. They include serious concerns with regard to the independence of the judiciary, media freedom and freedom of expression, freedom of association and political freedom, as well as allegations of torture and ill-treatment by law enforcement officials and unsatisfactory detention conditions.