Whereas the Republic of Azerbaijan is a partner for the United States and its allies in combating terrorism, supporting United States and allied operations in Afghanistan, promoting European energy security, and addressing other transnational threats; Whereas it is in the national security interest of the United States to advance respect for universally recognized human rights and rule of law as the foundation for just, peaceful, and prosperous relations among nations; Whereas the United States and the Republic of Azerbaijan as members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and signatories of the Helsinki Final Act recognize the universal significance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, respect for which is an essential factor for peace, justice and well-being necessary to ensure the development of friendly relations and co-operation among themselves as among all States ; Whereas, as an OSCE participating State, the Government of Azerbaijan has committed itself to work toward a standard of free and fair elections, yet since signing the Helsinki Final Act in 1992 no election held in Azerbaijan has met the minimum requirements as determined by the OSCE; Whereas the Department of State’s 2016 Country Report on Human Rights Practices for Azerbaijan found that authorities limited the freedoms of expression, assembly, and association through intimidation, incarceration on questionable charges, and harsh abuse of selected activists and secular and religious opposition figures ; Whereas the Department of State’s 2016 Country Report on Human Rights Practices for Azerbaijan further determined that authorities arbitrarily arrested and detained activists, engaged in politically motivated imprisonment, conducted trials that lacked due process, and subjected activists to lengthy pretrial detention with impunity ; Whereas a coalition of Azerbaijani nongovernmental human rights organizations in August 2017 documented 158 political prisoners in Azerbaijan