regard for the basic rights of freedom of assembly, 
association, and expression. The conduct of the elec-
tions demonstrates the unwillingness of authorities 
in Azerbaijan to tolerate political competition. 
(6) According to the United States Department 
of State’s Country Reports on Human Rights Prac-
tices for 2014, Azerbaijan has used ‘‘. . . the judi-
cial system to punish peaceful dissent—including in-
creased reports of arbitrary arrest and detention, po-
litically motivated imprisonment, lack of due process, 
and lengthy pretrial detention—by secular and reli-
gious individuals perceived as a threat by govern-
ment officials, while crimes against such individuals 
or their family members went unpunished.’’. 
(7) According to the 2015 report on religious 
freedom by the United States Commission on Inter-
national Religious Freedom (USCIRF), ‘‘Despite so-
cietal religious tolerance in Azerbaijan, governmental 
respect for religious freedom continued to deteriorate 
in 2014.’’. The report details the Government’s use 
of the 2009 religion law ‘‘to limit religious freedom 
and to justify fines, police raids, detentions, and im-
prisonment.’’. There are 44 names on the list of reli-
gious prisoners published by USCIRF. 
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(8) USCIRF cited poor conditions for religious 
minorities in Azerbaijan, reporting that ‘‘most 
Protestant denominations do not have legal status, 
including Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, and 
Pentecostals, as well as Jehovah’s Witnesses.’’. 
(9) The Government of Azerbaijan has further 
attempted to silence dissent through retribution 
against the political opposition, journalists, inde-
pendent NGOs, and their family members, through 
physical threats and beatings, dismissal from em-
ployment, travel restrictions and other forms of in-
timidation. 
(10) Those jailed opposition candidates and ac-
tivists have been treated harshly in pretrial deten-
tion and in prison, including physical beatings, de-
nied access to family, defense counsel, medical treat-
ment, and open legal proceedings. 
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
It is the policy of the United States— 
(1) to secure United States national security 
and economic interests in the region through pro-
motion of a stable and democratic government in 
Azerbaijan; 
(2) to call for the immediate release without 
preconditions of all political prisoners in Azerbaijan; 
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(3) to support the aspirations of the people of 
Azerbaijan for democracy, internationally recognized 
human rights, and the rule of law; 
(4) to support the growth of the rule of law and 
democratic institutions in Azerbaijan; 
(5) to work closely with other countries and 
international organizations, including the OSCE, to 
bring Azerbaijan in compliance with its multilateral 
commitments; and 
(6) reassess United States policy toward the 
Government of Azerbaijan reevaluating United 
States policy toward Azerbaijan as warranted by de-
monstrable progress made by the Government of 
Azerbaijan consistent with the policy of the United 
States as stated in this section. 
SEC. 4. DENIAL OF ENTRY INTO THE UNITED STATES OF 
SENIOR LEADERSHIP OF THE GOVERNMENT 
OF AZERBAIJAN AND OTHERS. 
(a) DENIAL OF ENTRY.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, the Secretary of State may not issue any 
visa to, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall deny 
entry to the United States of, any alien described in sub-
section (c). 
(b) CURRENT VISAS REVOKED.—Notwithstanding 
any other provision of law, the Secretary of State shall 
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revoke, in accordance with section 221(i) of the Immigra-
tion and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)), the visa or 
other documentation of any alien who would be ineligible 
to receive such a visa or documentation under subsection 
(a). 
(c) ALIENS DESCRIBED.—An alien described in this 
subsection is any alien who— 
(1) holds a position in the senior leadership of 
the Government of Azerbaijan; 
(2) is an immediate family member of a person 
described in paragraph (1); 
(3) through his or her business dealings with 
senior leadership of the Government of Azerbaijan 
derives significant financial benefit from policies or 
actions, including electoral fraud, human rights 
abuses, or corruption, that undermine or injure 
democratic institutions or impede the transition to 
democracy in Azerbaijan; and 
(4) is a member of any branch of the security, 
judicial, or law enforcement services of Azerbaijan 
and has participated in the persecution or harass-
ment of independent media or journalists, human 
rights defenders, opposition groups, or religious 
groups. 
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(d) EXCEPTION.—The requirements under sub-
sections (a) and (b) shall not apply with respect to an alien 
who is an official of the Government of Azerbaijan and 
who is seeking entry into the United States for the pur-
pose of participation in talks related to resolution of the 
Nagorno Karabakh conflict under the auspices of the 
OSCE Minsk Group. 
SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON SANCTIONS AGAINST THE 
GOVERNMENT OF AZERBAIJAN AND SENIOR 
LEADERSHIP OF THE GOVERNMENT OF AZER-
BAIJAN AND OTHERS. 
(a) PROHIBITION ON LOANS AND INVESTMENT.— 
(1) UNITED
STATES
GOVERNMENT
FINANC-
ING.—It is the sense of Congress that no loan, credit 
guarantee, insurance, financing, or other similar fi-
nancial assistance be extended by any agency of the 
Government of the United States (including the Ex-
port-Import Bank of the United States and the 
Overseas Private Investment Corporation) to the 
Government of Azerbaijan, except with respect to 
the provision of humanitarian goods and agricultural 
or medical products. 
(2) TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY.—It is 
the sense of Congress that no funds available to the 
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Trade and Development Agency should be available 
for activities of the Agency in or for Azerbaijan. 
(b) MULTILATERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.—The 
Secretary of the Treasury should instruct the United 
States Executive Director at each international financial 
institution of which the United States is a member to use 
the voice and vote of the United States to oppose any ex-
tension by those institutions of any financial assistance 
(including any technical assistance or grant) of any kind 
to the Government of Azerbaijan, except for loans and as-
sistance that serve humanitarian needs. 
(c) BLOCKING OF ASSETS AND OTHER PROHIBITED 
ACTIVITIES.— 
(1) BLOCKING OF ASSETS.—It is the sense of 
Congress that the President should block all prop-
erty and interests in property, including all commer-
cial, industrial, or public utility undertakings or enti-
ties, that, on or after the date of the enactment of 
this Act— 
(A) are owned, in whole or in part, by any 
member of the senior leadership of the Govern-
ment of Azerbaijan, or by any member or fam-
ily member closely linked to any member of the 
senior leadership of the Government of Azer-
baijan, or any person who through his or her 
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business dealings with the senior leadership of 
the Government of Azerbaijan derives signifi-
cant financial benefit from policies or actions, 
including electoral fraud, human rights abuses, 
or corruption, that undermine or injure demo-
cratic institutions or impede the transition to 
democracy in Azerbaijan; and 
(B) are in the United States, that here-
after come within the United States, or that are 
or hereafter come within the possession or con-
trol of any United States person. 
(2) PROHIBITED
ACTIVITIES.—Activities pro-
hibited by reason of the blocking of property and in-
terests in property under paragraph (1) should in-
clude payments or transfers of any property, or any 
transactions involving the transfer of anything of 
economic value by any United States person to any 
person described in subparagraph (A) of such para-
graph. 
(3) PAYMENT OF EXPENSES.—All expenses in-
cident to the blocking and maintenance of property 
blocked under paragraph (1) should be charged to 
the owners or operators of such property. Such ex-
penses may not be paid from blocked funds. 
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(4) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 
subsection should be construed to prohibit any con-
tract or other financial transaction with any private 
or nongovernmental organization or business in 
Azerbaijan. 
(5) EXCEPTIONS.—Paragraphs (1) and (2) 
should not apply with respect to the provision of 
medicine, medical equipment or supplies, food, as 
well as any other form of humanitarian assistance 
provided to Azerbaijan as relief in response to a hu-
manitarian crisis. 
(6) PENALTIES.—Any person who violates any 
prohibition or restriction imposed under this sub-
section should be subject to the penalties under sec-
tion 206 of the International Emergency Economic 
Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) to the same extent as 
for a violation under that Act. 
SEC. 6. TERMINATION OF SANCTIONS. 
The sanctions described in section 4 shall apply with 
respect to an alien described in that section, and the sanc-
tions described in section 5 should apply with respect to 
the Government of Azerbaijan, the senior leadership of the 
Government of Azerbaijan, and any other person described 
in section 5, until the President determines and certifies 
to the appropriate congressional committees that the Gov-
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ernment of Azerbaijan has made significant progress in 
meeting the following conditions: 
(1) The release of individuals in Azerbaijan who 
have been jailed based on political or religious beliefs 
or expression. 
(2) The cessation of all forms of harassment 
and repression against the independent media, non-
governmental organizations, youth groups, religious 
organizations (including their leadership and mem-
bers), and the political opposition in Azerbaijan. 
(3) Progress toward free, fair and transparent 
elections and the rule of law consistent with OSCE 
commitments. 
SEC. 7. MULTILATERAL COOPERATION. 
It is the sense of Congress that the President should 
continue to seek the support of other countries, particu-
larly European countries, for a comprehensive, multilat-
eral strategy to further the purposes of this Act, including, 
as appropriate, encouraging other countries to take meas-
ures with respect to the Republic of Azerbaijan that are 
similar to measures described in this Act. 
SEC. 8. REPORT. 
(a) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 
President shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
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committees a report that describes, with respect to the 
preceding 12-month period and to the extent practicable, 
the following: 
(1) The cooperation of the Government of Azer-
baijan with any foreign government or organization 
for purposes related to the censorship or surveillance 
of the Internet, or the purchase or receipt by the 
Government of Azerbaijan of any technology or 
training from any foreign government or organiza-
tion for purposes related to the censorship or sur-
veillance of the Internet. 
(2) The personal assets and wealth of President 
Ilham Aliyev and other senior leadership of the Gov-
ernment of Azerbaijan. 
(b) FORM.—A report transmitted pursuant to sub-
section (a) shall be in unclassified form but may contain 
a classified annex. 
SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Foreign Relations of the Senate. 
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(2) SENIOR LEADERSHIP OF THE GOVERNMENT 
OF
AZERBAIJAN.—The term ‘‘senior leadership of 
the Government of Azerbaijan’’ includes— 
(A) the President, Prime Minister, Deputy 
Prime Ministers, government ministers, Chair-
men of State Committees, governors, heads of 
state enterprises, and members of the Presi-
dential Administration of Azerbaijan; 
(B) any official of the Government of Azer-
baijan who— 
(i) is personally and substantially in-
volved in the suppression of freedom in 
Azerbaijan, including judges, prosecutors, 
and heads of professional associations and 
educational institutions; or 
(ii) is otherwise engaged in public cor-
ruption in Azerbaijan; and 
(C) any other individual determined by the 
Secretary of State (or the Secretary’s designee) 
to be personally and substantially involved in 
the formulation or execution of the policies of 
the Government of Azerbaijan that are in con-
tradiction of internationally recognized human 
rights standards. 
Æ 
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