PACE Monitoring Committee recommended against approving credentials of Azerbaijani delegation

At the plenary session on Tuesday, the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) recommended not to approve the credentials of the Azerbaijani delegation. The decision was made by a majority vote after intense debate.

 

The Monitoring Committee considered that the powers of the Azerbaijani delegation should not be approved for at least one year. In what form PACE will limit the powers of Azerbaijani parliamentarians will be known at the debate on January 24, which will take place in the afternoon. The plenary session may completely or partially limit the powers of the Azerbaijani delegation. Limiting the powers of the Azerbaijani delegation will not mean suspending Azerbaijan’s participation in other structures of the Council of Europe.

 

* Yesterday, German MP Frank Schwabe initiated to limit Azerbaijan’s powers. He cited the ongoing human rights violations and the growing number of political prisoners in Azerbaijan as the reason, as well as the refusal of official Baku to invite the PACE delegation to evaluate the upcoming presidential elections on February 7. He also mentioned Azerbaijan’s refusal to allow PACE speakers into the Lachin corridor in 2023.