Azerbaijan's Press Council accuses Russian propagandist of inciting provocation

The Azerbaijani Press Council has issued a scathing statement, accusing TV host and journalist Vladimir Solovyev of engaging in provocative behaviour and attempting to incite tensions between Azerbaijan and Russia.

The statement, as reported by Caliber.az, rebukes Solovyev's remarks regarding a potential Azerbaijani involvement in the terrorist act as exceeding mere bias against the country. The Press Council contends that Solovyev's assertions constitute a deliberate attempt to manipulate information and provoke unrest, particularly within Russian society.

“The situation after the terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall concert hall, which resulted in the deaths of a large number of innocent people, has shown the importance of a cautious approach to the information disseminated. Unfortunately, not everyone in Russia realizes this. TV host and journalist Vladimir Solovyev is one of them, and perhaps the first,” the Press Council said in a statement.

"Solovyov's statements aimed at finding an Azerbaijani trace in this terrorist act go beyond the traditional biased rhetoric of this person against our country. Solovyov is conducting an information provocation against Azerbaijan with his hints. He does not take into account that a terrorist has no nation or religion. Moreover, the perpetrators of the terrorist attack have been identified and Solovyov does not need to engage his conspiracy," the statement reads.

The department added that Solovyov's attempt to find an Azerbaijani trace in the terrorist attack stems from his pro-Armenian approach.

"Solovyov's attempt to give an ethnic background to the terrorist attack committed in Crocus City Hall is aimed against Azerbaijanis and Azerbaijan in general, to incite ethnic conflict in Russia, hatred towards our compatriots. Whose orders this man fulfils is known. The facts of his ‘cooperation’ with Russian journalist of Armenian origin Margarita Simonyan and media tycoon Aram Gabrielyanov are well known to both Russian and Azerbaijani public.

This ‘trio’ wanted to link our country with the terrorist organization ISIS back in 2016. The same handwriting can be seen in Solovyov's hints about Crocus City Hall. It is felt that his main goal is to undermine the current high level of Azerbaijani-Russian relations," the Press Council emphasized.

"This is a clear manipulation of media principles, an abuse of freedom of speech and expression. The Russian public should pay attention to this journalist's approach and his style, because Solovyev is misleading the public. His position is to sacrifice real facts for the sake of corporate interests.

We strongly condemn Solovyov's position, his information provocation aimed at linking Azerbaijan to this terrorist attack. The Press Council of Azerbaijan appeals to the Russian media, as well as to the public of the country not to remain indifferent to the actions and behaviour of a journalist who has no sense of responsibility to the Motherland and the people, who turns the profession of journalism into a tool for forming prejudices. The Press Council hopes that a decent legal assessment of Solovyov's actions will be given," the statement concludes.