Europe accused of going soft on Azerbaijan to avoid buying Russian gas

The EU is accused of being soft on Azerbaijan to reduce dependence on Russian gas, despite human rights violations by President Aliyev's government. Azerbaijan, a key partner in EU efforts to diversify gas sources away from Russia, faces criticism for cracking down on dissent and press freedom. While the EU denies giving Azerbaijan a free pass on human rights abuses, concerns remain over the country's record as a gas supplier to Europe.