Azerbaijan Suspends Cooperation with EU Parliamentary Assembly

Azerbaijan’s delegation to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly announced the suspension of its cooperation with the body, citing what it called biased and politically motivated criticism. The move comes weeks after the Assembly adopted a resolution criticizing Baku’s human rights record and calling for the release of political prisoners.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizade stated that the Assembly had crossed a red line by interfering in domestic judicial matters. European officials expressed concern that the suspension signals further democratic backsliding.

Reporters Without Borders noted that Azerbaijan now ranks 171st out of 180 countries in its 2026 World Press Freedom Index.