A brutal dictatorship run by a mafia dynasty: Irish senator criticises Baku for banning PACE members

Irish senator Paul Gavan has called Azerbaijan a brutal dictatorship run by a family mafia dynasty. He is one of 76 members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) blacklisted by Azerbaijan.

“I can confirm that I am one of the PACE members who has been banned from entering Azerbaijan. I wouldn’t have it any other way. A brutal dictatorship run by a family mafia dynasty. Responsible for the ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh and the oppression of its own citizens,” Mr Gavan said in a post on X.

Azerbaijan has banned 76 politicians from 26 European countries from entering the country. Baku has said it will lift the ban only if the mandate of the delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is restored.

Earlier this year, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe decided not to ratify the credentials of the Azerbaijani delegation, citing the country’s failure to meet key obligations. The Assembly expressed serious concerns about Azerbaijan’s ability to hold free and fair elections, the separation of powers, the weakness of the legislature in relation to the executive, the independence of the judiciary and respect for human rights. The resolution was adopted by 76 votes to 10, with 4 abstentions.

The Assembly also highlighted the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, noting that the Azerbaijani leadership failed to recognize “the very serious humanitarian and human rights consequences” resulting from the lack of free and safe access through the Lachin Corridor. The Assembly also recalled its condemnation of the September 2023 military operation, “which led to the flight of the entire Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and to accusations of ethnic cleansing.”