The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted two resolutions on Wednesday, 24 June 2026, addressing the situations in Georgia and Azerbaijan, following debates on human rights and the rule of law in the two member States. The debates took place amid already tense relations between PACE and the countries and longstanding concerns about their compliance with Council of Europe values, democratic standards and membership obligations.
Azerbaijan remains without a parliamentary delegation since PACE refused to ratify its credentials in January 2024, while Georgia’s delegation has been absent from the Assembly since withdrawing in January 2025 after PACE challenged its credentials.
In the resolutions, PACE made detailed recommendations, reaffirming that respect for human rights and the rule of law remain central to Council of Europe membership. Recent developments in Georgia and Azerbaijan warrant continued monitoring by the PACE.
«I welcome the resolutions, which send a clear message that the Council of Europe remains deeply concerned about the deteriorating human rights and democratic situation in Georgia and Azerbaijan», said NHC Secretary General Berit Lindeman. «The resolutions reaffirm that membership carries obligations to uphold democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The challenge now is to ensure that the recommendations translate into meaningful reforms and tangible improvements on the ground. Instead of dismissing the concerns, both governments should begin long-overdue reforms to address them.»
Azerbaijan
In its resolution, PACE condemned the ongoing crackdown and the systematic suppression of independent voices in Azerbaijan, citing the arrests of journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders, political activists and other civil society representatives. The report, Silencing Critical Voices in Azerbaijan, prepared by the PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, focused on the growing number of political prisoners, persistent restrictions on fundamental freedoms and Azerbaijan’s failure to implement numerous judgments of the European Court of Human Rights.
PACE urged the release of political prisoners, respect for judicial independence, full compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights, and an enabling environment for independent media and civil society organisations to operate without government interference. It also called on the Council of Europe Secretary General, Alain Berset, to demand explanations from the Azerbaijani government regarding its laws to ensure they comply with the Convention.
Georgia
The PACE resolution denounced democratic backsliding and expressed serious concern about Georgia’s human rights trajectory. It underlined that recent developments cast serious doubts on the country’s willingness to meet its obligations. The report, Functioning of Democratic Institutions in Georgia, prepared by the Monitoring Committee, is a periodic assessment of Georgia’s progress in meeting the human rights and democracy commitments it made upon joining the Council of Europe in 1999. It criticised the government’s efforts to ban opposition parties, the prosecutions of opposition leaders, restrictions on civil society and independent media, and numerous repressive laws deemed incompatible with Council of Europe standards.
It also urged the Georgian authorities to halt politically motivated prosecutions, investigate police brutality, abandon attempts to ban opposition parties and review laws affecting freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.