Azerbaijan Press Council appeals to Turkish media outlets

The Azerbaijan Press Council has expressed serious concern over biased reports, distorted materials and campaigns aimed at manipulating public opinion about Azerbaijan that have appeared in a number of Turkish media outlets and on social media platforms.

TodayPress TV reports that the council made the statement in an official announcement.

The statement said that, in recent days, certain incidents in Azerbaijan had been presented out of context, discussions concerning the country’s domestic affairs had been deliberately politicised, and unverified allegations had been circulated as facts. The council said such practices were entirely contrary to the fundamental principles of professional journalism.

“The Azerbaijan Press Council specifically emphasises that the highest duty of journalism is not to set societies against one another, but to uncover the truth, provide the public with accurate information and contribute to mutual understanding. Unfortunately, the opposite has been observed in recent days in some Turkish media outlets.

“In particular, the decision to introduce a uniform school dress code in Azerbaijan’s general education institutions has been taken out of context and distorted. Entirely unfounded claims have been circulated alleging that Azerbaijan is introducing a ‘hijab ban’ and suppressing Islamic values. Moreover, an issue relating exclusively to domestic education regulations has artificially been turned into a religious and ideological confrontation, in an apparent attempt to create a negative image of our country.

“Distorting issues related to religious freedoms, education policy and the social and cultural life of our society, using old or fake photographs and videos unrelated to the subject, and presenting the radical views of certain fringe individuals as the position of Turkish society as a whole are aimed at misleading public opinion. Such an approach is consistent neither with the principles of objective journalism nor with the spirit of the strategic relations between our two brotherly countries.”

The statement also highlighted that the campaign was not confined to social media but was being pursued by some traditional Turkish media outlets as well.

“In these materials, the boundaries of criticism and freedom of expression are clearly crossed. Social media accounts are providing a platform for dangerous calls aimed at forcibly changing the constitutional order of the Republic of Azerbaijan and seizing power through unlawful means.

“Relations between Azerbaijan and Türkiye are based on a shared history, language, culture, spiritual values and unwavering mutual trust. The principle of ‘One nation, two states’ expresses the equal partnership and brotherhood of our countries as independent states. This sacred principle cannot be used as a pretext for interfering in any country’s domestic or foreign policy, pushing society towards ideological confrontation or making unfounded accusations.”

The Press Council called on Turkish media organisations, journalist associations, editorial offices and individuals who influence public opinion on digital platforms to verify information about Azerbaijan against reliable sources before publishing it.

“The council calls on them to refrain from distorting facts and circulating fabricated or decontextualised images; to avoid insults, defamation and hate rhetoric directed at the Azerbaijani state and people; to promptly correct and retract demonstrably false information; and to take a principled stance against any manipulative campaigns that could harm relations between the two countries.”