Friday Wrap-up: German ex-MP convicted in Azerbaijan bribery case, Azerbaijani exiles urge Council of Europe action, and Aliyev–Trump meeting puts Peace Council in focus

This week saw a German court convict a former Bundestag member over bribery linked to Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani political exiles call on the Council of Europe to launch a special procedure against Baku, and President Ilham Aliyev meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Davos to discuss regional peace and a newly created international Peace Council.

German court convicts former MP Axel Fischer over bribes linked to Azerbaijan

Munich Higher Regional Court has convicted former German Bundestag member Axel Fischer on charges of accepting bribes from Azerbaijan. The court sentenced Fischer to one year and two months of suspended imprisonment, finding him guilty of corruption during his time as a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

Prosecutors had sought a suspended sentence of one year and eight months, while Fischer’s defense demanded full acquittal. According to the court’s reasoning, Fischer accepted tens of thousands of euros in cash over several years in exchange for promoting Azerbaijan’s interests within PACE. Some of the payments were made before such acts were explicitly criminalized under German law.

In return, Fischer delivered speeches presenting Azerbaijan in a positive light between 2010 and 2018 and allegedly passed on confidential documents. Prosecutors relied on a large body of indirect evidence during the lengthy and complex trial. Fischer, who had been held in pre-trial detention since December 22 due to repeatedly failing to appear in court, was released immediately after the verdict, with all detention measures lifted.

The court also stripped Fischer of his passive voting rights for two years, barring him from standing for election or holding public office during that period. Additionally, he was ordered to pay €12,000 to a victims’ assistance fund, that is significantly less than the €80,000 requested by prosecutors. Fischer has denied all accusations, insisting he never accepted money or benefits in exchange for political actions, but the court found both his testimony and that of his wife unconvincing.

Azerbaijani exiles call on Council of Europe to launch special procedure against Baku

The Political Coordination Center of Azerbaijani Migrants (ASIMKOM) has called on the Council of Europe to initiate a Joint Complementary Procedure against Azerbaijan, marking the country’s 25th anniversary of membership in the organization. In a statement released on January 22, the group accused the Azerbaijani authorities of systematically dismantling democratic institutions over the past quarter-century.

The statement claims that judicial independence has been undermined, civil society and independent media face strict limitations, and opposition figures continue to experience ongoing pressure. According to ASIMKOM, repression intensified further after November 2023, culminating in what it described as the politically motivated arrest of Popular Front Party leader Ali Karimli.

The group warned that Azerbaijan’s confrontational stance toward the Council of Europe and the European Parliament, combined with growing authoritarian governance, poses a threat not only to democracy in Azerbaijan but also to the credibility of European institutions. Azerbaijani civil society representatives living abroad have also appealed to the Council of Europe with the same call.

Azerbaijan lost its voting rights in PACE in 2024 due to failure to meet human rights obligations. In response, Baku suspended cooperation with the body and restricted entry for lawmakers who supported the decision. President Ilham Aliyev said this week that Azerbaijan no longer cooperates directly with PACE or the European Parliament, though relations with the European Commission continue. Human rights groups estimate there are around 340 political prisoners in Azerbaijan, a figure the government disputes.

Davos talks: Aliyev–Trump meeting and launch of new Peace Council

On January 22, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. According to official statements, both sides expressed satisfaction with the development of bilateral relations since Trump’s return to office and highlighted his role in advancing the Armenia–Azerbaijan peace process during talks hosted in the United States last August.

Aliyev spoke about steps toward normalizing relations with Armenia, claiming that a de facto peace environment has already emerged in the region. He pointed to growing economic ties, including Azerbaijan’s export of petroleum products to Armenia and the transit of wheat through Azerbaijani territory. Aliyev also underlined the regional importance of the TRIPP transit corridor project.

The meeting also addressed the newly established Peace Council, an initiative launched by Trump and discussed extensively in Davos. Azerbaijan has been invited to join the body as a founding member, a move Baku views as a sign of strategic partnership with Washington. Trump said the Peace Council would operate alongside the United Nations and deal with a broad range of global conflicts, not only Gaza.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also expressed interest in joining the council, offering up to $1 billion in funding and seeking permanent member status. The United States invited approximately 50 countries to the Peace Council. Azerbaijan, Armenia, Argentina, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, and many other countries accepted this invitation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko also expressed their desire to join the organization. Many European countries, including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, declined to participate in this initiative. Critics of Trump view this move as an attempt to weaken the UN. The Peace Council has emerged as one of the most debated topics at this year’s Davos forum.

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