Votes · 8 October 2026
The cases of Ali Karimli, Anar Mammadli and other political prisoners in Azerbaijan
This vote is about political prisoners in Azerbaijan, including opposition leader Ali Karimli and activist Anar Mammadli.
Background
According to Parliament, more than 300 people are detained for political reasons in Azerbaijan. Ali Karimli, leader of the Popular Front, the main opposition party, has been held since November 2025 for “attempting to seize power”; human rights defender Anar Mammadli was sentenced to 13 years in prison in September 2026.
- Calls for the release of political prisoners, including Ali Karimli and Anar Mammadli, and of Armenian detainees, including former Nagorno-Karabakh leaders.
- Demands decent detention conditions and an independent investigation into reported ill-treatment.
- Wants any future EU-Azerbaijan partnership agreement to depend on real progress on human rights, and calls for targeted sanctions.
Adopted: 492 for, 23 against, 60 abstentions, 144 did not vote.
Reference: RC-B10-0438/2026