Human Rights in Azerbaijan Since the Fall of Nagorno-Karabakh

Hearing Notice

Please join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for a hearing on alleged human rights violations perpetrated by the government of Azerbaijan against ethnic Armenians since the fall of Nagorno-Karabakh and ethnic Azerbaijanis who oppose the government.

The government of Azerbaijan has a notoriously poor human rights record. According to Freedom House, “Power in Azerbaijan’s authoritarian regime remains heavily concentrated in the hands of Ilham Aliyev, who has served as president since 2003, and his extended family. Corruption is rampant, and the formal political opposition has been weakened by years of persecution. The authorities have carried out an extensive crackdown on civil liberties in recent years...”

Since the government conducted a military operation to gain full control over Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023, the situation for ethnic Armenians in the enclave has changed dramatically. By the end of 2023 virtually all of them fled to Armenia. The hearing will examine this apparent ethnic cleansing and a number of related issues, including the situation of prisoners of war and political prisoners, the status of Armenian cultural sites in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the right of return of ethnic Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh. 

The hearing will also examine the government’s treatment of members of the ethnic Azerbaijani majority who have been victims of domestic and transnational repression due to their opposition to the government and its policies, and the relation between corruption and human rights abuses. Witnesses will offer recommendations for Congress.

The hearing will be held in person and is open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the interested public, and the media. The public and the media may attend in person or view the hearing by live webcast on the Commission website. The hearing will also be available for viewing on the House Digital Channel service. For any questions, please contact Mark Milosch (for Co-Chair Smith) or Kimberly Stanton (for Co-Chair McGovern).

Hosted by: