"Azerbaijan Sanctions Review Act" requires State Department to report on applicability of Magnitsky Act sanctions against Azerbaijani officials.

ArmInfo. Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced bipartisan 

legislation that seeks to enforce sanctions against Azerbaijani officials responsible for war crimes and human rights abuses, including the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, the arbitrary detention of 

Armenian POWs and civilian captives, the torture and abuse of 

detainees, and extrajudicial killings, reported the Armenian National 

Committee of America (ANCA).

Specifically, "The Azerbaijan Sanctions Review Act of 2024" would 

require the Biden Administration to report within 180 days of passage 

the applicability of sanctions on Azerbaijani officials responsible 

for human rights violations, based on the Global Magnitsky Human 

Rights Accountability Act and Section 7031 of the State, Foreign 

Operations and Related Programs Act.

Rep. Titus explained, "Armenians are facing an ongoing ethnic 

cleansing and genocide at the hands of Azerbaijan, which is why I 

have introduced the Azerbaijan Sanctions Review Act of 2024. After 

its illegal, year-long blockade of the Lachin Corridor, Azerbaijan 

weaponized food and starved many of Artsakh's 120,000 Armenians. The 

Aliyev government rejected calls from the international community to 

withdraw and ease tensions but instead launched an assault on the 

Armenian community in Artsakh."

Rep. Titus continued, "We cannot mince words when talking about what 

ensued: ethnic cleansing with genocidal intent. People with 

long-standing claims to the land were systematically pushed out by an 

aggressor; children were denied food and water and are no longer able 

to go to school; and Christian landmarks were desecrated. It's time 

to impose costs on President Aliyev and his supporters for their 

actions instead of rewarding them with arms deals. My bill is an 

important first step."

Rep. Bilirakis concurred, "Given the political and humanitarian 

crisis that has resulted from Azerbaijan's ethnic cleansing of 

Armenians from Artsakh and the continued oppression of political 

dissidents, careful consideration of whether or not Magnitsky 

sanctions are applicable are certainly warranted. We have an 

obligation to speak up against political oppression around the globe 

and to give voice to those who are being oppressed."

ANCA Western Region Board Member and ANCA Nevada Chair Lenna 

Hovanessian, JD, welcomed Rep.  Titus' leadership. "Rep. Titus has 

been and continues to be a steadfast champion for human rights and 

for the Armenian-American people of Nevada in this courageous and 

powerful stance. The Nevada Armenian community and beyond are so 

proud of her leadership on this unprecedented and brave step to end 

the impunity of Azerbaijan for its genocidal policies and to hold its 

officials accountable for human rights violations under the Global 

Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act."

Congresswoman Titus announced her intention to pursue sanctions 

against Azerbaijani officials during her remarks at the Congressional 

Armenian Genocide Commemoration on Capitol Hill, noting that "this 

bill will impose various sanctions on Azerbaijani officials who 

directed or carried out the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh." The 

Congresswoman continued, "it is time we make them pay, and impose 

costs on them for their actions."

In addition to Representatives Titus and Bilirakis, the original 

cosponsors of the bill are Representatives Gabe Amo (D-RI), Jake 

Auchincloss (D-MA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Jim 

Costa (D-CA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Mike 

Lawler (R-NY), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Susie Lee (D-NV), Nicole 

Malliotakis (R-NY), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Rob Menendez (D-NJ), Grace 

Meng (D-NY), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Chris Pappas (D-NH), John Sarbanes 

(D-MD), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Brad Sherman 

(D-CA), Haley Stevens (D-MI), and David Valadao (R-CA).

The bill refers to two sanctions mechanisms. The Global Magnitsky Act 

authorizes the President to impose economic sanctions and deny entry 

into the United States to any foreign person identified as engaging 

in human rights abuse or corruption. Section 7031 of the State, 

Foreign Operations and Related Programs Act requires the Secretary of 

State to make foreign officials and their family members ineligible 

for U.S. entry if there is evidence that such individuals have been 

involved in significant corruption or a gross violation of human 

rights.

"Azerbaijan must be held accountable for the genocide of Artsakh, 

facing material consequences for its brazen violations of 

international law," remarked ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. 

"For decades, the U.S. has refused to impose meaningful costs on 

Azerbaijan for its aggression against the Armenians of Artsakh - 

enabling its genocidal behavior and emboldening its leaders to 

believe that they can act with impunity. This bipartisan bill 

represents an important step toward accountability and justice.  Its 

passage is needed to deter further Azerbaijani aggression in the 

region."

The list of over 40 Azerbaijani officials named in the bill was 

compiled by the Armenian Legal Center for Justice and Human Rights 

(Armenian Legal Center) in collaboration with its partners at the 

International Comparative Law Center (ICLC) in Yerevan.  The ICLC 

verified the complicity of the named individuals in the perpetration 

of serious violations of international humanitarian law.

"The Armenian Legal Center welcomes the leadership of Congresswoman 

Titus on this critical bill calling for the Administration to take 

concrete action to hold senior Azerbaijani military, governmental, 

and judicial officials accountable for war crimes and human rights 

abuses," said Armenian Legal Center Chair Ken Hachikian. "The Global 

Magnitsky Act clearly applies to the over 40 individuals cited by the 

Congresswoman, and we collectively call upon the Departments of State 

and Treasury to impose sanctions as soon as possible to ensure 

Azerbaijan faces tangible costs for its genocide of Artsakh."

The list includes senior officials in Azerbaijan's ministries of 

justice and defense, military officials, and specific units 

responsible for overseeing and carrying out war crimes, as well as 

judges and lawyers responsible for the arbitrary detention of 

captives. The Armenian Legal Center is set to file comprehensive 

reports on each of these cases with the Departments of State and 

Treasury to trigger a formal assessment of the applicability of 

Global Magnitsky Act Sanctions against Azerbaijani officials.

The bill also highlights the over 90 Armenian prisoners of war and 

civilian captives illegally detained by Azerbaijan during the 2020 

Nagorno-Karabakh War who have faced torture and abuse - and names 

Artsakh's political leadership illegally captured by Azerbaijan 

during its genocidal assault on the region in September 2023 

including Ruben Vardanyan, Davit Manukyan, Davit Babayan, Levon 

Mnatsakanyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arayik Harutyunyan, 

and Davit Ishkhanyan.