On November 18th, upon their return from the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) detailed Azerbaijan's worsening human rights violations broadly and their fear for their personal safety during their time in Azerbaijan.
“COP29 in Azerbaijan offered a unique opportunity to promote clean energy and regional cooperation but it is critical for the United States to address the significant challenges posed by ongoing human rights violations and unresolved territorial conflicts in Azerbaijan,” stated Sen. Markey. “We must draw attention to Azerbaijan's unacceptable human rights record and promote positive change. We cannot be silent. We cannot ignore the hostile climate in which the conference is right now still taking place.”
In a meeting with Aliyev's presidential advisor Hikmet Hajiyev, Sen. Markey was blunt: “the Azerbaijani government must immediately and unconditionally release all Armenian and Azeri political prisoners, guarantee the right of return for ethnic Armenian civilians to Nagorno Karabakh, and negotiate in good faith a peace agreement with Armenia that protects regional peace and internationally agreed-upon borders.”
Rep. Pallone described the repeated and “synchronized” efforts by pro-Aliyev “protesters or thugs” at COP29 to assault the thirty-year Congressional Armenian Caucus founding co-chair for his outspoken support for Artsakh self-determination and Armenia security during. “If it wasn't for the fact that US Embassy-hired [bodyguards] protected me, I would have been in the hospital. And, it was serious. I just want to be honest. It was very serious.” Sen. Markey concurred, noting, “Like Frank [Pallone], I felt I had to have a bodyguard with me at all times. Even in the lobby of the hotel, even going up to my room.”
In a subsequent press statement, Rep. Pallone remarked, “efforts to stifle myself and Senator Markey only strengthen my resolve to fight for accountability, reform, and the dignity of those who have suffered under Azerbaijan’s oppressive regime. I will continue to fight for the release of the Armenian prisoners being held in Baku, the protection of Armenian territorial sovereignty and removal of Azerbaijani troops from Armenian land, and for a fair and lasting peace deal that finally brings calm to the region.” …...more
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