In 2017, the Committee of Ministers launched the first ever infringement proceeding against Azerbaijan after it refused to release opposition politician Ilgar Mammadov after a 2014 ECtHR verdict that his imprisonment was unlawful.

[2][1] Since joining the Council of Europe, Azerbaijan has not held an election deemed free and fair by international observers, typically involving fraud by the government.

[6] As of 2021[update], Azerbaijan has the lowest rate of compliance of any Council of Europe member state with implementing leading judgements of the European Court of Human Rights from the last 10 years.

[22] Physical and psychological violence are used to extract confessions, punish people for activism or being members of marginalized groups such as LGBT community or minority religions.

[22] In the first few years of Azerbaijani membership in the Council of Europe, PACE passed multiple resolutions condemning Azerbaijan for holding political prisoners.

[2] According to a 2012 report from the European Stability Initiative, Azerbaijan's corrupt "caviar diplomacy" began shortly after it joined the Council of Europe in 2001 and accelerated after the younger Aliyev became president in 2003.

PACE members were given expensive gifts (including silk carpets, gold, caviar, and money) and invited on trips to Baku, although not all voted in favor of Azerbaijan for corrupt reasons.

[2] International law scholars Kanstantsin Dzehtsiarou and Donal K Coffey cite Azerbaijan as one of the Council of Europe member states that show "persistent and clear disregard of the values and aims of the CoE".