1. Executive summary
This report examines the deteriorating relationship between Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe (CoE) in the context of the country’s deepening authoritarianism. When Azerbaijan joined the Council in 2001, it pledged to uphold fundamental rights and freedoms. Nearly a quarter-century later, it stands out among member states for its systemic violations and one of the worst human rights records in the region.
Since late 2023, Azerbaijani authorities have intensified their suppression of independent media, civil society, and political opposition. Independent journalists have been silenced, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have been compelled to close or operate underground, and many activists continue their efforts only from exile. Meanwhile, the number of political prisoners has risen to over 350.
Azerbaijan’s suspension from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in January 2024 has fragmented its membership. While refusing to seek renewed credentials at PACE, the government in Baku continues to engage selectively with other Council of Europe bodies, favouring institutions that pursue quiet diplomacy over those demanding accountability.
This selective engagement has revealed divisions within the Council itself. PACE has conditioned Azerbaijan’s return on the release of political prisoners and an end to harassment of civil society, media, and opposition groups. However, the Committee of Ministers and the Secretary General continue to depend on behind-the-scenes dialogue – a strategy that has yielded no meaningful results so far. As a result, nineteen months after Azerbaijan’s suspension, the Council has failed to respond to the Assembly’s decision or to the country’s rapidly worsening human rights situation.
The issue goes beyond PACE. Azerbaijan remains one of the Council of Europe’s worst offenders before the European Court of Human Rights, ranking among the states with the highest number of cases and the lowest compliance with judgments. This ongoing defiance undermines the Council’s authority and weakens the European human rights system.
By allowing Azerbaijan to enjoy the benefits of membership without fulfilling its obligations, the Council risks legitimising authoritarian consolidation in Baku, undermining its own credibility, and setting a dangerous precedent. Georgia’s recent withdrawal from PACE ahead of a vote on democratic backsliding indicates that this precedent is already spreading, signalling a deepening institutional crisis within the Council.
The human toll of this failure is evident. Azerbaijan currently holds the highest number of political prisoners in twenty years. Detainees are denied effective domestic remedies, while the authorities openly refuse to execute judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. For these prisoners – and for their families, who face harassment and intimidation – the Council of Europe has offered not protection but the illusion of accountability.