Azerbaijan's Milli Majlis (Parliament) has strongly protested H.R. 9087, a bill adopted by the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee on July 22, 2026.

Axar.az reports that the Azerbaijani parliament said it firmly rejects the unfounded allegations contained in the bill, describing it as another attempt to use the U.S. Congress as a tool of political pressure against Azerbaijan in the interests of the Armenian lobby and in disregard of international law.

It said the bill's sponsor, Congressman Brad Sherman, who is regarded as a political ally of former Congressman Robert Menendez, is known for his close ties to Armenian lobby groups and for consistently promoting their political agenda.

"It is clear that initiatives of this kind, introduced ahead of the next U.S. congressional elections, are aimed not at serving the national interests of the United States, but at securing the political and financial backing of influential lobbying circles. Such practices, which call into question the objectivity of legislative decisions, should be thoroughly investigated by U.S. law enforcement authorities and receive an appropriate legal assessment.

It is evident that this initiative is part of the Armenian lobby's long-running campaign to discredit Azerbaijan. Former International Criminal Court Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo has played a similarly disreputable role. It is well known within the international community that he has prepared politically motivated opinions with financial backing from figures linked to Armenian nationalist circles, including Russian-Armenian oligarch Samvel Karapetyan. The same political line is also visible in the activities of several European parliamentary bodies, including the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Certain members of that institution, particularly Frank Schwabe, have long promoted biased and one-sided initiatives against Azerbaijan. All of these actions are part of a coordinated campaign carried out by the Armenian lobby across various international parliamentary platforms," the statement said.

The parliament noted that it is particularly concerning that such steps are being taken at a time when Azerbaijan and Armenia are making steady progress on the peace agenda.

"International efforts aimed at establishing a lasting and sustainable peace, particularly the mediation initiative and direct support of U.S. President Donald Trump, have created real opportunities for normalizing relations between the two countries. In such circumstances, attempts by individual members of Congress to push through politically motivated, one-sided decisions not only undermine trust but also obstruct the peace process.

These actions serve only the interests of radical nationalist circles within the Armenian lobby. For decades, these groups have sought to prevent the normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations and preserve confrontation, and are now exploiting regional tensions to advance their own political and financial objectives."

The Milli Majlis also expressed particular outrage over the bill's use of the terms "prisoners of war" and "political prisoners" to describe individuals convicted by Azerbaijani courts.

"These individuals are neither prisoners of war nor political prisoners. They have been prosecuted under the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan and international law for crimes including military aggression, war crimes, enforced disappearances, torture, terrorism, and other criminal offenses. Attempts to portray them as victims of political persecution constitute a deliberate distortion of facts and direct interference in the administration of justice by a sovereign state."

The Azerbaijani parliament called on members of the U.S. Congress to refrain from making decisions under the influence of organized Armenian lobby groups, to respect international law and Azerbaijan's sovereignty, and not to become instruments of forces seeking to undermine the peace process and perpetuate confrontation in the South Caucasus.