This week saw Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan meet in Albania, the UK impose new sanctions targeting Azerbaijani oil exports, and Azerbaijani political prisoner Fazil Gasimov begin a hunger strike in protest of his detention.
Aliyev and Pashinyan meet in Albania as peace agreement negotiations continue
On May 16, 2025, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held an unofficial meeting during the European Political Community Summit in Albania. The encounter, described as “silent,” was later shared by Pashinyan via a muted video on Facebook. In an interview with Azerbaijan’s Ictimai TV, Pashinyan stated that Armenia’s current constitution contains no territorial claims against Azerbaijan, citing a Constitutional Court ruling. He acknowledged that Azerbaijan’s constitution includes territorial references to Armenian territory but said this issue is addressed in the draft peace agreement. He also expressed no objection to dissolving the OSCE Minsk Group, provided it happens alongside the signing of a peace deal.
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizade strongly criticized Pashinyan’s statements, accusing him of attempting to mislead the international community and avoiding genuine commitments to peace. Hajizade stated that Armenia continues to violate the Alma-Ata Declaration and is trying to leave open the possibility of future aggression by not amending its constitution. He emphasized that without constitutional changes and a formal withdrawal from the Minsk Group framework, any peace agreement would be unreliable. Although both sides agreed on a draft treaty in March 2025, these unresolved issues remain key obstacles to finalizing the deal.
UK imposes sanctions on Azerbaijani oil tanker and individuals linked to Russian energy trade
On May 9, 2025, the UK imposed new sanctions on Russia, targeting entities believed to be aiding in the transport of Russian oil. Among those sanctioned was the Azerbaijani state-owned oil tanker Zangezur, operated by the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO).
The tanker was penalized for transporting Russian oil, in violation of Western sanctions. ASCO, which is fully owned by the Azerbaijani government, has not issued any public response regarding the sanctions.
In addition to the tanker, five Azerbaijani nationals—Tahir Garayev, Ahmed Kerimov, Anar Madatli, Talat Safarov, and Etibar Eyub—were added to the UK’s sanctions list. These individuals lead the 2Rivers Group (formerly Coral Energy Group), a major player in Russian oil exports. The group is suspected of operating a “shadow fleet” to evade Western sanctions and continue facilitating Russian energy trade.
The UK also sanctioned two companies, BX Energy and Nord Axis LTD, both reportedly connected to Etibar Eyub. These firms are registered in Hong Kong but are owned by separate legal entities based in Dubai. This move follows a broader pattern, as Azerbaijan has previously been linked to Russian oil shipments. In July 2024, Global Witness revealed that Azerbaijan’s state-owned STAR refinery had processed large amounts of Russian oil, with exports to the EU in early 2024 rising 40% compared to the same period in 2022.
Fazil Gasimov begins hunger strike in protest of treatment in detention
Fazil Gasimov, a doctoral student at Istanbul University, has reportedly started a new hunger strike on May 10, 2025, in protest of his treatment in detention.
He was extradited from Turkey to Azerbaijan in connection with the criminal case against economist Gubad Ibadoghlu and was sentenced to nine years in prison on March 13, 2025.
His family reports that he is being mistreated at the Penitentiary Service’s Umbaki facility and that his written appeal has mysteriously disappeared. Gasimov believes he is being targeted in retaliation and denies the charges of producing and distributing counterfeit currency as part of an organized group.
This is not Gasimov’s first hunger strike; he previously protested his imprisonment in June 2024 with a hunger strike said to have lasted over six months. Gasimov maintains his innocence, stating the charges are fabricated. His family has called on relevant authorities to intervene. While Gubad Ibadoghlu was released to house arrest in April 2024, Gasimov remains imprisoned and continues to dispute the legitimacy of his prosecution.
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