Europe accused of going soft on Azerbaijan to avoid buying Russian gas

When a 15 -year young activist was imprisoned for the highest treachery in Azerbaijan last month, his friends were brought in the first place to the European Union, before the government that put it behind the bars.

Baharz Samdouf, a 30 -year -old PhD student, faces one of the most severe sentences that are ever given to the critics of President Ilham Aliyev’s rule for 21 years. He rejects the charge as fabricated.

The European Union “may continue to flirt with Baku, but the silence has its cost,” as one of the critics complained.

Shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, European Commission President Ursula von der Lin Azerbaijan announced a “main partner” in the efforts of the European Union to stay away from Russian natural gas.

At that time, Aliyev re -controlled the separate Karabakh area, causing the migration of its entire Armenian population; He also obtained a fifth consecutive term in elections that were widely criticized by observers, and the opposition and freedom of the press.

the The European Parliament called on the European Union last year To impose penalties on Baku and end dependence on gas exports in Azerbaijan. However, senior foreign policy officials avoid criticizing Aliyev.

When Kaja Class, the best diplomat of the European Union, Baku in April, visited severe criticism by Aliyev’s opponents to emphasize the “great potential” of the European Union’s relations with Azerbaijan while at least 21 major journalists in Baku were arrested.

Aliyev justified the arrest of journalists by the need to “protect the media scene from external negative effects”, accusing correspondents of “illegally receiving funding from abroad.”

He has also long accused international organizations of bias and interfering in local policy, United Nations offices, the International Red Cross Committee and the BBC have all closed.

Eldar Midov, a former diplomat of Latvia who worked as a consultant to the foreign policy of the Democratic Democratic Group in the European Parliament.

He told the BBC: “The suppression and arrest of the defectors, bloggers and the voices of the opposition have long strained Baku Brussels’s relations.” “Since Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, this issue has already disappeared from the agenda.”

The European Union rejects the prosecution.

“[The EU] It is interested in the shrinking civil space in [Azerbaijan]A BBC spokesman said and called Baku, “to launch all those who were arbitrarily detained to exercise their basic rights.

He added: “The European Union has continued its concerns about all levels, whether in public or private places,” including during the Kaja Calis visit to Baku.

The European Union wants to diversify as it gets its gas, to avoid relying on one resource like Russia.

Azerbaijan is far from being the largest player, as its total share of natural gas imports in the European Union It is still 4.3 % modestDespite the rise in supplies.

But the share is much higher in some member states related to the southern gas corridor pipeline from Azerbaijan. Up to 40 % of Bulgarian natural gas imports come from Azerbaijan, and for Italy and Greece are 15 %.

This makes it difficult for the European Union to present a unified front, according to a large European diplomat that spoke, provided that his identity is not disclosed.

“Europe in this position does not have a great deal of reliable financial lever on Azerbaijan,” he said.

Benjamin Godwin, a risk analyst specializing in Caucasus and Central Asia, says this authority will not come out in Europe without Azerbaijani gas, but this is not the point.

“The European Union’s strategy is to have the largest possible amount of gas from many different sites,” he says. “Although it does not depend on Azerbaiji gas, it wants to get more gas from Azerbaijan to reduce its accreditation in Russia in the end.”

“Our stance does not change the human rights situation in Azerbaijan,” the European Union spokesman told the BBC that the energy partnership.

President Aliyev has other benefits to Europe alongside gas.

He has supported the regional safety of Ukraine in the face of the invasion of Russia – a rare position between the previous Soviet countries that the Kremlin sees as allies.

Although Azerbaijan did not impose sanctions on Russia, it provided Ukraine with humanitarian help.

Baku’s relations with Moscow have taken diving in recent months.

The Azerbaijani Airways plane crashed with 38 life lost last December – it was apparently shot down by a Russian anti -aircraft missile.

Then the crisis deepened after the death of two Azerbaijani men in the Russian police custody.

By challenging Russia’s correct challenge, Aliyev sought to play a greater role in a traditional area dominated by Moscow, says experts. But he also presents himself to the West as a opponent of Vladimir Putin.

“Azerbaijan has attracted attention and played well. They see that all parties want to be friends with them and that they use this in all directions,” BBC.

Another European diplomat said in a good situation: “We are not happy at all [Azerbaijan’s human rights record]But there is not much we can do. “

When seven Azerbaijani journalists were granted in prison last month, the European Union diplomatic service (EEAS) He said it is “a worrying development” He called for “immediate steps to ensure a safe environment and empower all journalists.”

So far, the European Union has been silent on the duration of Baherz Samdouf prison on charges of treason. But his friends say he recently tried to take his life and fear for his safety.