Make Azerbaijan Release Its Political Prisoners | Opinion

Despite its claims to the contrary, the South Caucasus nation of Azerbaijan doesn’t seek peace with its neighbors, including Armenia. Just over one year ago, Azerbaijan forced 120,000 ethnic Armenians from the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, destroying its longstanding self-government and setting about erasing all traces of what was once Armenia’s historical heartland.

If Azerbaijan were genuinely committed to peace, it would stop erasing the Armenian cultural and historical presence in Nagorno-Karabakh, abandon its ongoing claims on Armenia’s sovereign territory, facilitate the return of Nagorno-Karabakh’s displaced population to their ancestral homeland, and immediately release the political prisoners it captured a year ago—the former leadership of the autonomous region, which it blockaded for nine months before launching a brutal invasion last September.

The Azerbaijani regime is one of the most despotic, corrupt and aggressive in the world. So, as the Armenian foreign minister from 1998-2008, who spent decades negotiating peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan with the support of powers like the United States, Russia, and France, I call on the world to pressure Azerbaijan to mend its ways.

And, as luck would have it, there is a way. The COP-29 climate conference is scheduled to take place in Baku in mid-November—a choice of venue that has sparked significant controversy, since Azerbaijan is also a leading oil and gas producer and a major contributor to global pollution. It was a dubious choice on all levels—but it is also one that currently gives the world some leverage.

Those now detained in Baku—former Nagorno-Karabakh presidents Araik Harutunyan, Bako Sahakyan and Arkady Ghukasian; former state minister Ruben Vardanyan; parliamentary speaker Davit Ishkhanyan; former foreign minister Davit Babayan; and defense minister Levon Mnatsakanyan—are legitimate representatives of a people who sought self-determination in accordance with international law.

Were world powers negotiating with terrorists and criminals all these years, as Azerbaijan now suggests? Of course not. These leaders are comparable to figures like Ibrahim Rugova of Kosovo or José Ramos-Horta of East Timor—individuals who have fought for the self-determination of their people through peaceful means. Their detention is a political ploy to silence the Armenian cause, a serious violation of international law and a challenge to the legitimacy of the global diplomatic process.

While Azerbaijan claims sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh, and while it fell within the Soviet Republic that became Azerbaijan, it was long a heartland of Armenian life with a very plausible claim to the right of self-determination. Nagorno-Karabakh’s move to exercise this right in the final years of the Soviet Union provoked an uncompromising response from Azerbaijan, leading to a full-scale conflict between Armenians and Azerbaijanis. This conflagration eventually culminated in a 1994 ceasefire, which allowed the region to establish self-rule.

For nearly three decades, Nagorno-Karabakh maintained a de facto independent status, with state-building efforts grounded in democratic principles and respect for human rights. Negotiations aimed at a permanent solution—co-chaired by the United States, France, and Russia—emphasized peaceful resolution, respect for human rights, and adherence to international law. But in 2020, Azerbaijan’s aggression dramatically escalated, and in a brief war the regime seized much of the outer area of the enclave. Three years later, following further clashes, Azerbaijan attacked Nagorno-Karabakh, carried out ethnic cleansing and the kidnapped the region’s leadership.

Which brings us to the genuinely bizarre circumstances in which the regime of dictator Ilham Aliyev—which occupies the bottom rungs in all global democracy rankings, such as the one published by Freedom House – comes to be hosting COP-29.

It is a symbol of the moral contradictions at play in international diplomacy. As one of the world’s leading oil and gas producers, Azerbaijan profits immensely from fossil fuels—the very industry contributing to climate change. Yet, it has been given a platform to host a global summit on mitigating climate catastrophe. This environmental hypocrisy is itself glaring—yet, yes, there is a narrative in which climate miscreants are nudged along by being given a seat at the table, or even allowed to host the assembled. After all, COP28 was hosted by the United Arab Emirates.

There is no argument for allowing it to get away with human rights abuses in Nagorno-Karabakh. To allow Azerbaijan to host COP29 without confronting its repressive actions would be to turn a blind eye to the atrocities it has committed. And COP-29, indeed, presents a rare opportunity for leverage.

The global community, especially state actors like the U.S., must demand that Azerbaijan release the Armenian POWs and political leaders it has unlawfully detained. And they should be prepared to boycott the conference or to send low-ranking delegations if this demand is rejected.

Azerbaijan knows the detainees have committed no crime, but it does not expect its bluff to be called. Yes, there is a risk that Baku will stand firm. That risk diminishes the more resolute is the ultimatum—the more state actors and NGOs that line up behind it. It would be a wake-up call for dictators and bad-faith actors everywhere.

Moreover, this need not be only about the Armenians who are held. In recent months, the Baku regime has detained scores of journalists and activists, trying to ensure no criticism occurs during the conference. They too should be freed.

Yes, it would be unfortunate to unsettle an important conference, but there are alternative solutions for continuing climate negotiations. One might be to move the summit to another location or restructure COP29 into a half-year summit held across several democratic nations that respect human rights.

The urgency of climate change is undeniable, but we must ensure that human rights and environmental justice are not mutually exclusive. The fight against climate change must be waged with moral integrity. The world must stand firm and not let Azerbaijan exploit the climate agenda as a PR shield while it continues to oppress Armenians, suppress legitimate political movements, and hold political prisoners.

Time is short. COP29 is fast approaching, and the world has an opportunity to display real commitment, backed by action, to human rights, the rule of law, and the principle of self-determination. The U.S., European Union, and other democratic entities must take the lead, using COP-29 as leverage to demand the release of these prisoners.

They must speak out. And more importantly, they must act.

Vartan Oskanian is the founder of the Civilitas Foundation and served as foreign minister of Armenia.

The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.