On 10 September plenary session of the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for the release without any conditions civil society activists, human rights defenders and journalists Khadija Ismailova, Arif and Leyla Yunus, Anar Mammadli, Rasul Jafarov, Intigam Aliyev, Rauf Mirkadyrov, Omar Mammadov, Tofig Yagublu, Nijat Aliyev, Araz Guliyev, Parviz Hashimli, Seymour Ghazi, Hilal Mamedov, Thale Hasmamedov, Ilgar Mammadov, and all other political prisoners, as well as to remove all charges against them. The resolution calls on the leadership of the European Commission to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the corruption of the Azerbaijani leadership set out in the investigation of Khadija Ismailova. The resolution expressed the requirement to apply sanctions against Azerbaijan judges, officials and politicians of the country, as well as impose a visa ban on them. The resolution was adopted by 365 votes "for", 202 "against", and 72 abstentions, the deputies. The resolution was initiated by a group of Liberal Democrats (ALDE), which was supported then by five parliamentary groups. The text of the resolution can be found here: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-%2f%2fEP%2f%2fNONSGML%2bMOTION%2bP8-RC-2015-0856%2b0%2bDOC%2bPDF%2bV0%2f%2fEN -16D04-
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On Thursday, hearings on the human rights situation in Azerbaijan began in th European Parliament. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B8-2015-0858&language=EN
The hearings focused on the human rights situation and the observance of the rule of law, taking into account previous resolutions on Azerbaijan. The draft resolution points to the worsening human rights situation, the pressure on civil society, the media, the repression against journalists and activists, violations of fundamental freedoms.
The document calls on Azerbaijan to fulfill the obligations to the Council of Europe, OSCE and UN in the field of human rights, to implement the recommendations of these organizations to improve the situation, to democratize the electoral environment. Otherwise, the European Parliament will refuse to send an observation mission for the parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan. -16D-
Politics
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President of the Council of the European Union Antonio Costa called the head of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
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Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan published a set of proposals on his Facebook page aimed at establishing long-term peace in the region. Among them, he suggested that Azerbaijan should abandon mutual claims against Armenia, including in international courts. Other proposals include: refraining from using belligerent rhetoric, continuing the demarcation of borders, signing a peace agreement that is 90% ready, mutually implementing arms control, creating a joint mechanism to investigate violations of the ceasefire regime, and dissolving the OSCE Minsk Group.
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The United States announced a new and final military aid package to Ukraine under President Joe Biden’s administration. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated in Germany that the total amount of assistance will be $500 million.
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Baku is expected to see the construction of 10 new metro stations. President Ilham Aliyev discussed this during a meeting with journalists on January 7. The head of state noted that locations for the new metro stations have been selected, and investments will start being made this year.
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