Europe accused of going soft on Azerbaijan to avoid buying Russian gas
Europe accused of going soft on Azerbaijan to avoid buying Russian gas
Critics say EU policy has given Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev a free hand during his crackdown on opponents.
Read the full article on BBC World
Truth Analysis
Analysis Summary:
The article appears mostly accurate based on the provided sources, with the primary claim being that Europe is softening its stance on Azerbaijan due to gas interests. The bias leans towards highlighting the negative aspects of this relationship, particularly regarding human rights concerns, but it's within a reasonable range for investigative journalism. The sources generally corroborate the main claim.
Detailed Analysis:
- Claim: Europe is accused of going soft on Azerbaijan to avoid buying Russian gas.
- Verification Source #1: Confirms the title and main accusation.
- Verification Source #2: Confirms the title and main accusation.
- Verification Source #3: Confirms the title and main accusation.
- Verification Source #4: Confirms the title and main accusation.
- Verification Source #5: Confirms the title and main accusation.
- Assessment: Supported
- Claim: EU policy has given Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev a free hand during his crackdown on opponents.
- Verification Source #1: The snippet from source 1 supports this claim.
- Verification Source #2: The snippet from source 2 supports this claim.
- Verification Source #3: The snippet from source 3 supports this claim.
- Assessment: Supported
- Claim: A young peace activist was jailed for 15 years for high treason in Azerbaijan.
- Verification Source #1: The snippet from source 1 supports this claim.
- Verification Source #2: The snippet from source 2 supports this claim.
- Verification Source #3: The snippet from source 3 supports this claim.
- Assessment: Supported
Supporting Evidence/Contradictions:
- Sources 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 all confirm the core accusation that Europe is softening its stance on Azerbaijan to secure gas supplies.
- Sources 1, 2, and 3 mention the jailing of a peace activist for 15 years, suggesting a crackdown on opposition.