Azerbaijani Parliament Slams Belgian Resolution as Biased and Baseless
Baku, July 19, 2025 — The Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan has issued a strong condemnation of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives’ resolution adopted on July 17, calling its accusations “groundless, biased, and politically motivated.”
In an official statement released Friday, the Azerbaijani parliament denounced the resolution as being based on “unverified, false, and one-sided information,” arguing that it ignores the complex political, legal, and humanitarian realities in the South Caucasus.
Lawmakers emphasized that the resolution disregards Azerbaijan’s sovereign right to restore its territorial integrity. They defended the September 2023 counterterrorism operation in Karabakh, stating it was conducted exclusively against remaining Armenian military units and illegal armed groups, in full compliance with international law.
“No civilians were harmed, and no religious or cultural sites were damaged during the operation,” the statement said, rejecting Belgian MPs’ claims of “war crimes” and “human rights violations” as politically charged and unsupported by facts.
The Milli Majlis also criticized the resolution’s silence on what it described as the 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia, during which 750,000 Azerbaijanis were displaced, and Azerbaijani cities, villages, and heritage sites were destroyed.
Addressing accusations of “unlawful arrests,” Azerbaijani lawmakers defended ongoing legal proceedings in Baku against ethnic Armenian individuals, noting that they are facing serious charges such as war crimes, torture, terrorism, and forced disappearances. The statement stressed that these trials are transparent and conform to legal standards, with no reports of mistreatment.
The Azerbaijani side expressed particular outrage at the resolution’s interpretation of the “Western Azerbaijan” concept, which it described as the legitimate right of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis forcibly expelled from Armenia to return peacefully to their ancestral lands.
“This concept reflects our people’s pursuit of justice and historical memory and is firmly rooted in international law,” the parliament stated.
In closing, the Milli Majlis warned that such resolutions could undermine progress toward peace in the region and serve the interests of those seeking to sabotage reconciliation.
“The Milli Majlis calls on members of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives to abandon the practice of adopting unbalanced documents and to respect international legal norms, the rights of all peoples in the region, and the fragile peace process currently underway,” the statement concluded.
The Belgian resolution in question condemned Azerbaijan for its September 2023 military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, alleged violations of human rights and international law, and called for the immediate release of detained former officials of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh authorities. It also criticized Azerbaijan’s treatment of ethnic Armenians and urged the European Union to reassess its relations with Baku, including the potential suspension of energy cooperation.
