US Congress Considers Sanctions Against Azerbaijani Officials

A new bill is being drafted in the US Congress that could impose sanctions on Baku.

The Kyiv Post reported today in an article titled “Aliyev Tightens Repression While Washington Stays Silent” that Republican Chris Smith from New Jersey plans to introduce the “Azerbaijan Democracy Act of 2025” soon. Smith is a co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. The bill would freeze US assets and ban visas for top Azerbaijani officials accused of corruption and political repression.

The Kyiv Post obtained a preliminary list containing the names of 35 top officials in the security, judicial, and political branches of President Ilham Aliyev's government.

One section of the draft law would require the US President to block all property and ownership interests of officials who personally profit from actions that harm Azerbaijan's democratic institutions.

A congressional staff member involved in drafting the bill said, on condition of anonymity, that the Azerbaijani government's recent actions have changed the approach to the process.

The staffer noted, Aliyev sees Washington's silence as approval. But Congress doesn't want that to continue.

The Kyiv Post notes that this effort is happening while the White House has been quiet in recent months. The State Department hasn't commented on the arrest of Ali Karimli, chairman of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP), or the growing pressure on opposition figures and critics of the government. Human rights groups and news outlets have received no response to their questions.

A Democratic congressional staffer, speaking anonymously, told the Kyiv Post that the administration's silence looks like indirect involvement in the process.

We're seeing a wide political crackdown in a country that's supposed to be our ally. The State Department isn't saying anything. Baku interprets this silence as a signal to tighten things up even more, the staffer stated.

Another Republican congressional staffer who works on human rights issues said, Aliyev believes Washington needs him more. The administration's lack of action is very worrying.