On July 24, Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis (Parliament) strongly criticized a bill approved by the US House Foreign Affairs Committee on July 22, 2026, rejecting what it described as unfounded accusations against the country. In its statement, the parliament stated that it considers H.R. 9087 another attempt to use the US Congress as a political instrument against Azerbaijan in support of Armenian lobbying interests. The Milli Majlis accused the bill’s sponsor, Congressman Brad Sherman, of repeatedly promoting the agenda of Armenian lobby groups and compared his activities to those of former Senator Robert Menendez.

The parliament emphasized that initiatives introduced ahead of upcoming US congressional elections are not related to protecting American national interests but are instead aimed at securing political and financial support from influential lobbying circles. It called for such practices to be investigated by US law enforcement authorities and receive an appropriate legal assessment. The Milli Majlis also accused Armenian lobbying groups of conducting a long-standing campaign aimed at discrediting Azerbaijan. It specifically criticized Luis Moreno Ocampo, the former Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, claiming that he has prepared politically motivated assessments with financial support from individuals linked to Armenian circles, including Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan.

According to the statement, similar approaches could also be observed in several European parliamentary institutions, including the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The parliament mentioned Frank Schwabe and other lawmakers as examples of individuals who have allegedly made biased statements regarding Azerbaijan, describing these actions as part of a coordinated campaign carried out through international parliamentary platforms. The Milli Majlis stated that such initiatives are particularly concerning as Azerbaijan and Armenia are currently moving forward with efforts toward peace and normalization. It emphasized that international efforts, including the mediation role and support of US President Donald Trump, have created opportunities for establishing long-term peace between the two countries. The parliament argued that politically motivated decisions by individual US congressmen could undermine trust and negatively affect the peace process. It stated that such steps serve the interests of radical Armenian lobbying groups that, according to the statement, have attempted for decades to prevent the normalization of Azerbaijani-Armenian relations and maintain regional tensions.

The Milli Majlis also objected to the use of terms such as “prisoners of war” and “political prisoners” in relation to individuals convicted by Azerbaijani courts. It stated that these individuals were prosecuted for alleged crimes including military aggression, war crimes, enforced disappearance, torture, terrorism, and other violations under Azerbaijani law and international legal norms. The parliament emphasized that portraying them as victims of political persecution represents a distortion of facts and interference in the judicial process of a sovereign state. The Azerbaijani parliament called on US lawmakers to avoid adopting decisions influenced by organized lobbying groups, respect international law and Azerbaijan’s sovereignty, and refrain from actions that could hinder the peace process or contribute to continued confrontation in the South Caucasus.