Von der Leyen urged to raise human rights on Azerbaijan visit

Ursula von der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has arrived in Azerbaijan for a working visit, facing intense pressure from jailed activists and journalists to address the country’s human rights record.

Ms von der Leyen's talks in Baku are expected to focus on energy and transport cooperation, the Middle Corridor transit route, and the ongoing peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

However, her arrival has been overshadowed by coordinated appeals from Azerbaijani civil society groups, journalists, and political prisoners, who accuse the European Union of prioritising energy security over democratic values.

Imprisoned journalists from the independent outlet AbzasMedia urged the EU chief not to sacrifice democratic principles for natural gas imports.

"We hope that you will not remain silent about human rights violations during your meetings with officials," the journalists said in an open letter. "We also hope that you will make Azerbaijan's compliance with its international human rights obligations a condition for partnership."

Akif Qurbanov, the imprisoned speaker of the Third Republic Platform political movement, also appealed to von der Leyen. He urged the European Commission to engage with independent civil society, media, and political opposition, rather than dealing solely with the government.

According to local rights groups, there are currently 328 political prisoners in Azerbaijan. Last week, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) passed a resolution warning that independent voices in the country were being systematically silenced.

The Azerbaijani government has repeatedly denied accusations of politically motivated arrests. Officials in Baku maintain that those detained have been prosecuted for specific criminal offences and not for their political views or journalistic activities.

The visit has also drawn criticism in the European media. The German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung noted that during her last visit to Baku in 2022, von der Leyen praised Azerbaijan as a "reliable partner" as Europe sought alternatives to Russian gas, while offering little public criticism of its domestic human rights record.

Other prominent detainees, including the activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev and the academic and economist Fazil Qasimov, have also written to the European Commission President requesting her intervention.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has arrived in Azerbaijan for a working visit, facing intense pressure from jailed activists and journalists to address the country’s human rights record.

Ms von der Leyen's talks in Baku are expected to focus on energy and transport cooperation, the Middle Corridor transit route, and the ongoing peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

However, her arrival has been overshadowed by coordinated appeals from Azerbaijani civil society groups, journalists, and political prisoners, who accuse the European Union of prioritising energy security over democratic values.

Imprisoned journalists from the independent outlet AbzasMedia urged the EU chief not to sacrifice democratic principles for natural gas imports.

"We hope that you will not remain silent about human rights violations during your meetings with officials," the journalists said in an open letter. "We also hope that you will make Azerbaijan's compliance with its international human rights obligations a condition for partnership."

Akif Qurbanov, the imprisoned speaker of the Third Republic Platform political movement, also appealed to von der Leyen. He urged the European Commission to engage with independent civil society, media, and political opposition, rather than dealing solely with the government.

According to local rights groups, there are currently 328 political prisoners in Azerbaijan. Last week, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) passed a resolution warning that independent voices in the country were being systematically silenced.

The Azerbaijani government has repeatedly denied accusations of politically motivated arrests. Officials in Baku maintain that those detained have been prosecuted for specific criminal offences and not for their political views or journalistic activities.

The visit has also drawn criticism in the European media. The German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung noted that during her last visit to Baku in 2022, von der Leyen praised Azerbaijan as a "reliable partner" as Europe sought alternatives to Russian gas, while offering little public criticism of its domestic human rights record.

Other prominent detainees, including the activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev and the academic and economist Fazil Qasimov, have also written to the European Commission President requesting her intervention.