Azerbaijan’s Press Council condemns Deutsche Welle’s pro-Armenian bias

The Press Council of Azerbaijan has strongly criticised Germany’s Deutsche Welle (DW) for airing a documentary on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, calling it a violation of journalistic ethics and an example of overt bias.

“Deutsche Welle’s overtly pro-Armenian stance is unacceptable,” the Council said in a statement issued on March 31, Caliber.Az reports.

Furthermore, the council expressed “regret” over what it described as DW’s “anti-Azerbaijani stance.” According to the statement, the documentary was initially produced by the Armenian lobby in France and later broadcast by Deutsche Welle without any editorial modifications.

“The film includes video footage depicting the dire situation of peaceful Azerbaijanis. However, it misrepresents the individuals in these scenes as Armenians who have left Karabakh and features only ethnic Armenian commentators as experts,” the statement read. “Such editorial choices demonstrate clear bias and constitute a blatant disregard for professional journalistic ethics.”

The Press Council further asserted that DW’s coverage appeared to align with “local interests of forces aiming to mislead public opinion in Europe and worldwide” while exacerbating tensions in the South Caucasus.

The council also condemned DW’s attempt to frame the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict as a religious issue, arguing that this narrative was “deliberately crafted, highly misleading, and dangerous.”

“This is a deliberately crafted, highly misleading, and dangerous narrative, circulated using the language of Armenian propagandists,” the statement said.

The Press Council urged Western media, particularly German outlets, to refrain from actions that could “hinder stability, security, and prosperity in the South Caucasus.”

“Commitment to journalistic principles is a crucial indicator of an appropriate response to the region’s current sensitive situation,” the council emphasised.

Reaffirming its criticism, the council called on Deutsche Welle to revise its editorial policies and avoid narratives that could provoke further tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

“The media outlet is urged to avoid narratives that could provoke new confrontations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, to refrain from sacrificing the truth to distorted perspectives, and to revise its editorial policy based on objectivity and impartiality,” the statement concluded.

By Vugar Khalilov