Crimea, Kyrgyzstan, and Azerbaijan: EU Parliament Adopts 3 Resolutions

The European Parliament took a strong stance on human rights Thursday, Orda reports, citing its press service.

With overwhelming majority support, the parliament passed three resolutions targeting concerns in Crimea, Kyrgyzstan, and Azerbaijan.

In its strongest rebuke, Parliament members voted 492-28 to condemn Kyrgyzstan's crackdown on media freedom and political opposition.

They specifically demanded the release of detained opposition leader Temirlan Sultanbekov. The resolution also called for reversing controversial laws on "false information" and "foreign representatives."

With a 446-25 vote, lawmakers denounced Russia's ongoing occupation of Crimea, now in its 11th year.

The resolution highlighted systematic human rights violations against Crimean Tatars and ethnic Ukrainians, calling for the immediate release of political prisoners and maintaining international pressure through sanctions.

The third resolution, passing 434-30, targeted Azerbaijan's targeting of civil society and independent media.

Parliament members demanded the release of political prisoners, including prominent human rights defender Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu, and pushed for conditional EU partnerships based on human rights compliance. MEPs called for EU sanctions on officials responsible for serious human rights violations.

These resolutions represent the Parliament's latest effort to leverage diplomatic pressure against human rights violations, though their practical impact remains to be seen.