In a resolution adopted on Friday, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe called on Azerbaijan to immediately open the Lachin Corridor, in accordance with a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights. The measure also calls for the release Armenian prisoners of war and civilian captives being held in Azerbaijan.
The ECHR issued a ruling in December regarding Azerbaijan’s closure of the Lachin Corridor, which has effectively blockaded Artsakh and cut its connection to the rest of the world. Earlier this month the court sent an urgent notice to the Committee of Minister of the Council of Europe calling on the grouping to monitor Azerbaijan implementation of the court’s decision calling for the immediate and complete implementation of its ruling.
The provisions regarding Lachin and the Armenian POWs were amendments introduced by Armenia’s representatives to PACE, which were adopted.
“The Assembly notes the committee’s continued attention to the developments concerning relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. 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,” said the resolution.
“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,” the resolution added.
The PACE also expressed regret 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.”
“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,” the PACE resolution added.
