Titus and Bilirakis Lead Congressional Push to Sanction Azerbaijani Officials for War Crimes and Human Rights Abuses
Washington, D.C. — The Armenian Council of America welcomes the introduction of new legislation directing the Trump-Vance Administration to review the applicability of Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act sanctions against Azerbaijani officials responsible for war crimes, human rights violations, and the unlawful detention of Armenian prisoners of war and civilians.
The bill documents Azerbaijan’s ongoing atrocities, including the 2020 war, the 2023 genocidal ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, and the continued imprisonment, torture, and sham trials of Armenian captives. It states: “Azerbaijan’s continued detainment, torture, extrajudicial execution and other serious human rights violations against prisoners of war and captured civilians calls into serious question their commitment to human rights and ability to negotiate an equitable, lasting peace settlement.”
Further, the legislation underscores: “Despite its international legal obligations under the Geneva Conventions and repeated calls by the United States Government, Azerbaijan has not released all relevant persons and instead continues to detain new prisoners of war, hostages, and captured civilians. Nor have those responsible for serious human rights violations and war crimes faced legal consequences.”
Representative Dina Titus (D-NV) strongly condemned Baku’s crimes, declaring: “After its illegal, year-long blockade of the Lachin Corridor, Azerbaijan weaponized food and starved many of Artsakh’s 120,000 Armenians. The Aliyev government rejected calls from the international community to withdraw and ease tensions, and launched an assault on the Armenian community in Artsakh. People with long-standing claims to the land were systematically pushed out by an aggressor; children were denied food and water and could not go to school; and Christian landmarks were desecrated. It’s time to impose costs on President Aliyev and his supporters instead of rewarding them with military support and investment deals.”
Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) echoed these concerns, noting: “While the historic peace declaration announced last month between Azerbaijan and Armenia may signal progress, a political and humanitarian crisis continues — driven by Azerbaijan’s ongoing aggression in the region.” He added: “I’m proud to reintroduce legislation that would require the President to determine whether Magnitsky sanctions should be applied to senior Azerbaijani officials responsible for the ethnic cleansing of Armenians from Artsakh and for enforcing repressive policies against political opposition within Azerbaijan. American tax dollars should not be used to support members of a brutal regime — especially when those resources could be better spent addressing urgent priorities here at home.”
Under the bill, the President must determine within 180 days whether more than 50 Azerbaijani officials — including senior military commanders, security leaders, prosecutors, and judges — meet the criteria for sanctions under Global Magnitsky or Section 7031(c) of the State Department Appropriations Act.
