Fake statements attributed to Azerbaijan’s president circulated on Turkish social media, Media and Broadcasting Council says

Attributing statements to the head of state that he never made and presenting them as an official position is a blatant example of disinformation aimed at misleading the public.

TodayPress TV reports that the statement was made by the Media and Broadcasting Council of Azerbaijan.

The Council said it had observed the circulation of false statements attributed to the President of Azerbaijan on Turkish social media platforms.

“We once again emphasise that the primary and official sources of information about the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan’s speeches, statements and activities are the head of state’s official website and social media accounts. When preparing and disseminating information on these matters, these sources must be used. Statements and opinions published by other sources must not be attributed to the head of state unless they have been verified by official sources.

“The Media and Broadcasting Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan calls on media organisations and social media users to take a responsible approach to verifying information, check reports against official sources before sharing them, and refrain from spreading disinformation,” the statement said.

The official social media accounts of the President of Azerbaijan can be accessed via this link.