{"id":24301,"date":"2026-03-12T11:24:39","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T11:24:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/?p=24301"},"modified":"2026-03-12T11:24:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T11:24:41","slug":"cross-party-coalition-of-meps-led-by-marie-toussaint-urges-hr-vp-kaja-kallas-to-sanction-azerbaijan-and-review-energy-ties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/?p=24301","title":{"rendered":"Cross-Party Coalition of MEPs, led by Marie Toussaint, Urges HR\/VP Kaja Kallas to Sanction Azerbaijan and Review Energy Ties"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A prominent group of 36 Members of the European Parliament, representing the major political groups, has issued a formal letter to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, demanding a fundamental \u201creassessment and strengthening\u201d of the EU\u2019s policy toward Azerbaijan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the initiative of MEP Marie Toussaint, the letter follows a series of alarming developments, including the recent sentencing of Armenian prisoners from Nagorno-Karabakh to life imprisonment and documented evidence of Azerbaijan helping Russia circumvent EU sanctions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cContinued engagement without meaningful conditionality risks undermining the credibility of the European Union,\u201d<\/strong> the signatories warn, citing a \u201csystematic repression\u201d of political opposition and a \u201chostile\u201d rejection of EU diplomatic efforts by the Azerbaijani Parliament (Milli Majlis).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

A central focus of the MEPs\u2019 demand is the unresolved humanitarian crisis following the 2023 military offensive. The letter explicitly condemns the \u201ccontinued denial of the rights of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh,\u201d emphasizing that there is currently no credible framework for their right of return<\/strong> nor any functional mechanism for economic compensation for those displaced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe EU cannot remain silent while the fundamental rights of an entire population are erased,\u201d<\/strong> the signatories state, noting that the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly has already recalled the urgent need to address the status of displaced persons and the release of political prisoners.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The coalition of MEPs is calling for five immediate actions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. A Human Rights Review:<\/strong>\u00a0A comprehensive audit of the EU-Azerbaijan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Targeted Sanctions:<\/strong>\u00a0Activation of the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against those responsible for arbitrary detentions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. High-Level Dialogue:<\/strong>\u00a0An urgent summit to address the rights of displaced Armenians and the release of political prisoners.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Energy Suspension:<\/strong>\u00a0The freezing of enhanced energy cooperation until Azerbaijan demonstrates tangible progress on human rights and sanctions compliance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Anti-Circumvention Measures:<\/strong>\u00a0Restrictive measures against entities, including the state-owned SOCAR, involved in facilitating Russian oil exports.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The letter highlights the February 2026 sentencing of figures such as Ruben Vardanyan and Arayik Harutyunyan as a violation of international humanitarian standards. Furthermore, it points to the role of Azerbaijani nationals and networks in \u201cshadow fleet\u201d operations that allow Russian oil to bypass EU restrictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The MEPs conclude that the parliamentary momentum built throughout late 2025 provides a \u201cclear political mandate\u201d for Kaja Kallas to move beyond rhetoric and take principled action to defend the rule of law and international integrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n