HUMAN RIGHTS AND AZERBAIJAN

That this House notes the accession of Azerbaijan to the European Convention on Human Rights; asks the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to express to the Government and representatives of Azerbaijan concern for the fair treatment of the investigative journalist Afghan Mukhtarli, husband of political refugee Leyla Mustafayeva, who was reported to have been kidnapped in Tbilisi on 29 May 2017 before being taken forcibly across the border and appearing on 30 November 2017 at the Balakan District Court with a trial starting on 14 December 2017 on charges that are not generally known; and further asks the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to advise the Azerbaijani Government that the role of journalism should be respected and that fears of reports of wrongdoing within government should not lead to persecution of the messengers.