On January 27, 2025, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution urging Azerbaijan to release the former military and political leaders of Artsakh, along with other Armenian hostages. The resolution calls on Azerbaijani authorities to cease all persecution and immediately release all individuals detained on political grounds.
“The Assembly continues to monitor the situation concerning all detainees and prisoners of war currently held in Azerbaijan, reaffirming its call for their release. The Assembly remains deeply concerned about the deterioration of democracy in Azerbaijan, as well as the repression against political and civil society activists, journalists, and other critics of the government,” the resolution states.
Additionally, the resolution highlights that the presidential elections held in Azerbaijan in 2024 did not meet international democratic standards and took place with severe restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly.