During the 2026 Summer Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), hearings critical of Azerbaijan were held and a resolution was adopted. In addition, a written declaration entitled “The Erasure of Armenian Cultural Identity in the Karabakh Region of Azerbaijan” was introduced with the signatures of 25 PACE members. In response, human rights defender Ahmad Shahidov delivered a video address from Strasbourg.
Ahmad Shahidov stated that although the written declaration does not represent the official position of PACE, it should be viewed as part of a coordinated disinformation campaign targeting Azerbaijan. He noted that one of the most striking aspects of the document is that none of its 25 signatories are Armenian parliamentarians, indicating that anti-Azerbaijani initiatives are now being promoted by a broader political network.
The human rights defender emphasized that although Karabakh has been liberated militarily and politically, the hybrid war against Azerbaijan continues. According to Ahmad Shahidov, countering such initiatives requires coordinated efforts not only by state institutions but also by the media, civil society organizations, and the Azerbaijani diaspora. He stressed that Azerbaijan’s position must be consistently defended on international platforms and that disinformation campaigns should be addressed promptly and effectively.
