Azerbaijan to take measures against fake accounts of presidential candidates

The Azerbaijan Media Development Agency and the State Service of Special Communication and Information Security have made a joint statement.

“The fake accounts of the Azerbaijani presidential candidates are being created on social networks. The false information is being disseminated on their behalf,” Caliber.Az reports citing the joint statement.

“Such actions on the eve of the elections are aimed at misleading the public and cast a shadow on the reputation of the candidates. We urge the public not to believe false and provocative reports and to rely only on official statements and information posted on the candidates’ real social media accounts. We call on Azerbaijani citizens, journalists, and public activists to remain vigilant and not to believe disinformation. The measures will be taken against the creators of fake accounts,” the statement said.

To recap, early presidential elections will be held in Azerbaijan on February 7, 2024, under the order signed by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

Ilham Aliyev has been serving as the president of Azerbaijan since October 31, 2003, and is the fourth president of the country.

He was reelected for a second term in 2008 and was allowed to run in elections indefinitely in 2013 and 2018 as part of the 2009 constitutional referendum, which removed term limits for presidents.

Throughout his electoral campaign, President Aliyev has been a member of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, which he has headed since 2005.