The Summer Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) officially opened on June 22 in Strasbourg, France. The session, which will continue until June 26, will focus on issues including democracy, human rights, artificial intelligence, media freedom, migration, and international security. Separate hearings on Azerbaijan are also included on the agenda, where critical assessments regarding human rights, democracy, freedom of expression, and the state of civil society in the country are expected to be voiced.
Human rights defender and journalist Ahmad Shahidov, who is following the session in Strasbourg, stated that discussions concerning Azerbaijan should also take into account the double standards that have existed within some European institutions for many years. According to Shahidov, when Azerbaijani territories were under occupation, the rights of more than one million refugees and internally displaced persons, as well as the fate of Azerbaijani hostages and captives, did not receive the same level of attention on European platforms as they do today.
Ahmad Shahidov noted that discussions on human rights and democracy are important, but these principles must be applied equally to all countries. “If human rights are truly universal, they should not depend on political interests or geopolitical considerations. Today, Azerbaijan is one of the leading countries in the region, playing an important role in Europe’s energy security and regional stability. Therefore, the debates on Azerbaijan at PACE are being closely followed both in our country and throughout the wider region,” he said.
