That the House of Representatives—
affirms the importance of the United States partnership with the Government of Azerbaijan in the strategic areas of international security, European energy security, and economic development;
calls on the United States Government, in its diplomatic engagement and delivery of bilateral assistance, to prioritize as a matter of strategic importance its response to the Government of Azerbaijan’s violations of universally recognized human rights, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law to ensure the long-term sustainability of the United States-Azerbaijani bilateral partnership;
calls on the Government of Azerbaijan to immediately release all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, rehabilitate their records, lift travel bans, and cease harassment, intimidation, and mistreatment of citizens engaged in political speech, independent journalism, and other forms of advocacy on behalf of government accountability, democratic values, and universally recognized human rights;
urges the United States Government to closely evaluate reporting from intelligence, diplomatic, open source, congressional, and nongovernmental organization sources to identify and impose travel and financial restrictions on Government of Azerbaijan officials responsible for gross violations of internationally recognized human rights, pursuant to the provisions of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act;
urges the United States Government to closely evaluate reporting from intelligence, diplomatic, open source, congressional, and nongovernmental organization sources to identify and impose travel restrictions on Government of Azerbaijan officials responsible for severe violations of religious freedom, pursuant to the provisions of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998; and
stands with the people of Azerbaijan in support of their peaceful efforts to achieve democratic reform and exercise their fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act and other international charters.