Speakers at the protest condemned European inaction, with Spangenberg referencing Germany’s historical responsibility to prevent genocide and protect vulnerable communities. He criticized Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s failure to take decisive action and called for a formal petition to the International Criminal Court against Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.
This protest follows ongoing diplomatic appeals by human rights organizations to the European Commission and the French government. Despite repeated warnings from the UN about the risk of genocide, meaningful international action remains absent.
The coalition of human rights organizations plans further demonstrations across Europe and will submit an official petition to the European Parliament urging immediate sanctions against Azerbaijan. Protest organizers also called on European citizens to raise awareness and pressure their governments to act against these gross human rights violations.
“The world must not turn a blind eye to Azerbaijan’s crimes,” said Sarah Reinke, Head of Human Rights at GfbV. “The time for words is over; we need action now.”
