Azerbaijan Alleges Coordinated Disinformation Campaign Originates from Single Source

Azerbaijan’s Parliament Commission Identifies Coordinated Disinformation Campaign Against the Nation

Azerbaijan’s parliamentary Commission on Foreign Interference and Hybrid Threats has concluded that the country is facing a coordinated disinformation campaign orchestrated from a single center, according to an official statement released this week.

The commission, operating under the mandate of Azerbaijan’s parliament, known as the Milli Majlis, conducted a thorough analysis of what it described as “unfriendly actions” targeting the Azerbaijani state across digital platforms and media channels. Their investigation revealed that these efforts appear to be part of a broader, multi-level pressure strategy that has been underway for more than a year.

According to the commission’s findings, the anti-Azerbaijan campaign consists of deliberate information manipulation tactics designed to mislead public opinion, create societal divisions, and erode trust in state institutions. These conclusions come at a sensitive time for Azerbaijan, which has faced international scrutiny over various political and human rights issues in recent years.

The parliamentary body directly linked the increase in negative coverage to Azerbaijan’s recent geopolitical achievements. The commission specifically highlighted the country’s full restoration of territorial integrity under President Ilham Aliyev’s leadership, referring to Azerbaijan’s military victory in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia, which resulted in Azerbaijan regaining control of territories it had lost in the early 1990s.

Other factors cited as triggering the alleged disinformation campaign include Azerbaijan’s growing role in global energy security, its development of international transport corridors, and its increasingly independent stance on regional issues. Azerbaijan has positioned itself as a key energy supplier to Europe, particularly following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has increased the strategic importance of alternative energy sources and routes.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Southern Gas Corridor have cemented Azerbaijan’s status as a significant energy exporter, while projects like the Middle Corridor transport initiative have enhanced the country’s position as a transit hub between Asia and Europe. These developments have raised Azerbaijan’s geopolitical profile but also placed it under greater international scrutiny.

“The Republic of Azerbaijan will remain resolute in defending its rights against any hybrid threats and disruptions to the information space,” the commission stated, signaling that the government views these matters as issues of national security rather than mere public relations challenges.

In an appeal to the Azerbaijani public, the commission urged citizens to rely exclusively on information provided by the country’s state institutions and officials, suggesting concerns about the potential domestic impact of external information campaigns.

The statement comes amid broader regional tensions, including ongoing peace negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as increased international focus on Azerbaijan following its hosting of the COP28 climate conference in December 2023.

Media freedom organizations and human rights groups have previously raised concerns about the state of press freedom within Azerbaijan itself, with some international observers noting that the country maintains tight control over its domestic media landscape. These latest allegations of foreign disinformation may further complicate the information environment within and about Azerbaijan.

The parliamentary commission did not specifically identify which countries, organizations, or entities it believes are behind the alleged coordinated campaign, leaving open the question of who Azerbaijan’s leadership perceives as the source of these information challenges.