"Azerbaijan Sanctions Review Act" Gains New Cosponsors In Congress

"Azerbaijan Sanctions Review Act of 2024", a bill that would enable sanctions against 44 senior Azeri officials for their role in the Karabakh war, and human rights violations, has gained seven additional co-sponsors since its introduction in the U.S. Congress a month ago, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

The draft bill (H.R.8141), the first of its kind, was introduced on April 26 by Nevada Democrat Dina Titus and 24 other original cosponsors, whose number was raised to 31 since introduction.

Among those who recently joined the initiative are Democrat lawmakers Daniel Coldman, Mike Quigley, Anna Eshoo, Linda Sánchez, Judy Chu, Lori Trahan and one Republican Congresswoman Michelle Steel.

Upon introduction last month, the bill was referred to the Congressional Foreign Affairs and Judiciary Committees, but no further action has been taken to date.

If passed, it requires the Biden Administration to conduct a review of 44 Azerbaijani officials within 180 days to determine whether they are subject to Magnitsky sanctions following last year's war and the violent repression of political opposition in Azerbaijan.

The full version of the bill can be found here: https://www.congress.gov/118/bills/hr8141/BILLS-118hr8141ih.pdf