PACE resolution calls on Azerbaijan to release all Armenian prisoners 

ArmInfo. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has called on the Azerbaijani authorities to release individuals detained for political reasons, including 23 Armenians. This was announced on social media by Ruben Rubinyan, head of the Armenian delegation to PACE and Vice-Speaker of Parliament, citing a resolution adopted following the latest monitoring of the fulfillment of obligations by Council of Europe member states. The document was adopted at the 2026 PACE Winter Session in Strasbourg.

"A PACE resolution entitled 'Progress in the Assembly's Monitoring  Procedure' was adopted in Strasbourg. In the section on Armenia,  among other things, PACE expresses deep concern 'regarding  information about plans to seize power by several clerics,' and in  the section on Azerbaijan, among other things, it calls for the  release of all Armenians held there," Rubinyan wrote.

The resolution covers the situation in a number of countries  monitored by the Assembly, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia,  Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Serbia, Turkey, and  Ukraine. The document was adopted by 75 votes in favor, one vote  against, and three abstentions. From Armenia, Ruben Rubinyan and Sona  Ghazaryan (representatives of the ruling faction) voted in favor,  while opposition MP Armen Gevorgyan from the Hayastan faction  abstained. One parliamentarian from Switzerland voted against, while  another Swiss representative and a member of parliament from  Liechtenstein abstained.

"The Assembly regrets the excessive polarisation and stigmatisation  of political opponents by all sides in Armenia. It is deeply  concerned by the tensions between the Prime Minister and the head of  the Armenian Church, and by the reports of plots to usurp power by  several clergymen belonging to the Armenian Apostolic Church. While  reiterating that three consecutive elections have been free of  irregularities since 2018, the Assembly reiterates the need to  implement regulations on the misuse of public resources and the  financing of political parties. Ahead of the June 2026 general  elections, the Assembly calls for an improvement in relations between  the political majority and the opposition, in order to ensure that  the election campaign is issue- and policy-driven, and free from  personal attacks between election contestants. In this context, the  Assembly refers to the recommendation of the European Commission  against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) that "elected bodies and  political parties should adopt appropriate codes of conduct that  prohibit the use of hate speech, call on their members and followers  to abstain from engaging in, endorsing or disseminating it, and  provide for sanctions". The Assembly takes note of the current Prime  Minister's intention to organise a constitutional referendum after  the 2026 general elections;" the document reads. 

Regarding Azerbaijan, the document  reads that "with reference to its  Resolution 2527 (2024) "Challenge, on substantive grounds, of the  still unratified credentials of the parliamentary delegation of  Azerbaijan", the Assembly remains seriously concerned about the  further deterioration of the human rights situation in the country  and the increase in the number of persons detained allegedly on  politically motivated grounds, including civil society activists,  journalists and media workers, academics, opposition politicians and  other government critics. It exhorts the authorities to end  retaliatory prosecutions and to release immediately all those  detained on politically motivated charges, including 23 Armenian  detainees, the human rights defender, Mr Anar Mammadli, as well as  the journalists and media workers involved in the Abzas Media case.  The Assembly again calls upon the authorities to amend the Law on  Political Parties, the Law on Media, and relevant non-governmental  organisation legislation in line with the recommendations of the  European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission),  and to implement the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights.  The Assembly reiterates its condemnation of the decision by the  Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs to declare numerous members  of the Assembly personae non gratae as a result of, inter alia, their  vote in favour of Resolution 2527 (2024) and urges the authorities to  immediately revoke this decision. The Assembly takes note of the  resumption of cooperation between the Azerbaijani authorities and the  European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or  Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) and calls on the authorities  to engage in constructive dialogue with all Council of Europe bodies,  including the Assembly itself." 

For details following link:

https://pace.coe.int/pdf/1cd888d53ea56853b9a6683f3f7bc4900dc0ab85db91335e332307150313 a90c/res.%202633.pdf