Marietje Schaake, author. – Mr President, it is actually quite sad that we’re here once again debating the deteriorating human rights situation in Azerbaijan under the leadership of President Aliyev and the vice-president, his wife. Human rights defenders and activists, such as Mehman Huseynov who are shedding light on corruption are being harassed, unlawfully detained and tortured. And although this crackdown on human rights, democracy and civil society is systematic, the European Commission signed a partnership agreement with Azerbaijan this summer.

I think we have to question the issue of conditionality and how we can best use it now. Certainly any partnership agreement with any country cannot become a reason to, or an excuse to, avoid addressing the human rights violations in the strongest possible terms.

In fact, and many colleagues have mentioned this, Azerbaijan is ranked 163rd among 180 countries in 2008 on the World Press Freedom Index. That is a shockingly low ranking and it is confirmed by the fact that 10 journalists are currently imprisoned, but there’s also a number of websites and blogs that are blocked in the country. In fact some of the country’s brightest minds have already left, because their freedom and safety was jeopardised and their families were intimidated.

This is the kind of thing we previously saw with the cowardly leaking of videos and the fining of Khadija Ismayilova of EUR 23 000, which is almost 10 times the annual per capita income of the country, and shows the extent of pressure and the diversity of pressure on press and journalists, but also on opposition figures, civil society leaders and others.

The overall situation concerning human rights and freedom is very dire: imprisonment, harassment, intimidation and fines. These are in direct violation of Azerbaijan’s obligations stemming from its signing of the European Convention of Human Rights and also the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights.

So as we look to a new agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan, it is important that we confirm our commitment to the conditionality of this partnership agreement, depending on democratic reforms, respect for the rule of law, good governance and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. They must be at the core of the agreement and we should not brush over them. There are also conditions before the consent of this House can be given at a later stage.

So in the meantime we should a look to a renewed partnership agreement and as these human rights defenders are being systematically harassed, we expect nothing less than the European Commission and the High Representative/Vice-President, Ms Mogherini to condemn the human rights violations in Azerbaijan in the strongest possible terms, and to join us in calling for the release of journalists, opposition figures and political prisoners alike.