Azerbaijan Sanctions Review Act of 2025
The Azerbaijan Sanctions Review Act of 2025 requires the President to conduct a formal review of whether certain Azerbaijani officials and others listed by Congress meet the criteria for targeted sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act or related NDAA authorities. Within 180 days of enactment, the President must provide a detailed determination to Congress, including justification, on whether each listed person should be subject to sanctions. The bill does not itself impose sanctions; instead it triggers a review process and places potential sanctions decisions in the hands of the executive branch, guided by established sanctions authorities. The bill’s Findings section lays out extensive allegations of human rights abuses and wartime violations by Azerbaijani officials, with emphasis on Nagorno-Karabakh, detainee mistreatment, political repression, and press/NGO crackdowns. These Findings are meant to justify the review and potential use of sanctions against the named individuals under U.S. law.
Key Points
- 1Short title: The act is titled the Azerbaijan Sanctions Review Act of 2025.
- 2Purpose: To provide for a formal review of sanctions with respect to Azerbaijan and to determine, for a defined list of individuals, whether they meet criteria for sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act or related NDAA authorities.
- 3Timing: The President must submit a determination to the appropriate congressional committees no later than 180 days after enactment, with a detailed justification for each person listed.
- 4List of persons: The bill enumerates a specific set of Azerbaijani officials and others (judges, prosecutors, security and military officials, border service personnel, and others) who may be subject to sanctions if criteria are met.
- 5Sanctions authorities referenced: The determination process is tied to sanctions authorities under the Global Magnitsky Act (section 1263(b)) and section 7031(c) of the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act.
- 6Reporting to committees: The President must provide the determination to the Senate and House committees named in the bill, including justification and the rationale for whether each listed person should be sanctioned.
- 7No new sanctions imposed by the bill itself: Rather, it triggers a review that could lead to new sanctions under existing law if criteria are met.