From “Akinchi” to information victories How Azerbaijan became a leading force in the media space

Since July 22, 1875, when, thanks to the efforts of Hasan bey Zardabi, the first issue of the newspaper "Akinchi" was published, exactly 150 years have passed. For a century and a half, our native Azerbaijani voice has been heard in global journalism.

This freedom-loving voice was repeatedly suppressed at its root over many years. During the time of the Russian Empire — "Akinchi" lasted only two years, from July 22, 1875, until September 1877, but it left a deep mark as the first newspaper in the Azerbaijani language in the history of the Russian Empire and thoroughly frightened that very empire.

During the Soviet Union era, up until the 1950s, any article about love for the homeland and the historical roots of the Azerbaijani people could earn a journalist the label of pan-Islamist or pan-Turkist and, in the best case, send them to the GULAG; in the worst case — execute them after a brief meeting of a judicial troika, without even trying to prove the severity of the "crime."

In the 1960s to 1980s, domestic media representatives could be sentenced to 5 to 7 years or sent to a psychiatric hospital for freedom of speech, since the Soviet Union did not tolerate dissent, and anyone who dared to think outside the socialist framework was immediately declared either "mentally ill" or an enemy of socialist society.

Then came the 1990s, when chaos and anarchy, which struck only newly independent Azerbaijan, also engulfed the media. At that time, everyone wrote whatever and however they wanted, hardly bothering with logic or evidence to support what they wrote.

Since the return of national leader Heydar Aliyev to the leadership of Azerbaijan in June 1993, progress has been made in the media sphere, as in all areas of the country’s life and activity. A key impetus for restoring the true role and purpose of the mass media was President Heydar Aliyev’s Decree “On Measures to Ensure Freedom of Speech, Thought, and Information in the Republic of Azerbaijan” dated August 16, 1998, which put an end to restrictions on media activities. Subsequently, the Law “On Mass Media” dated December 7, 1999, breathed new life into domestic journalism, which began to extend beyond the country’s borders to defend Azerbaijan’s interests on the global stage.

If, at the beginning of the 21st century, Azerbaijani media frankly lagged behind in the information war against both western and northern neighbours, today, just two decades later, our media delivers a worthy response on all fronts, skillfully neutralising the “fake news” spread by various media outlets both near and far. As a result, the “nightingales’ trills” of lies and threats against our country barely have time to spread before apologies follow almost immediately.

If Armenia, since the Second Karabakh War, has been convinced of the combat effectiveness of Azerbaijani media as a whole, and of individual domestic journalists in particular, in completely dismantling the “neighbour’s tall tales,” then today the reputation of the strength and professionalism of our media has reached Western Europe and even crossed the ocean.

As President Ilham Aliyev expressed with pride for the domestic media at the 3rd Shusha Global Media Forum, “I am very pleased with the development of the Azerbaijani media. I am very glad that our media have gained great authority not only within the country, but also internationally. I say this quite frankly, not for the sake of saying nice words to you.”

“The Azerbaijani media today are capable of protecting state interests. They have also achieved great success in exposing unfounded accusations against Azerbaijan with arguments, serious analysis and facts. Our media not only defend state interests but also go on the offensive when necessary. And this is also necessary. In sports, they sometimes say that offense is the best defense,” said the head of state.

President Ilham Aliyev also emphasised that Azerbaijani media are now able to respond to any disparaging and slanderous campaigns, and this is a very important reality.

And this reality today leaves no doubt in anyone’s mind. It is precisely thanks to victories in information wars—achieved through the professionalism of domestic journalists—that Azerbaijan attains greater successes in strategic wars, strengthening its position on the political map of the world every year while maintaining good-neighbourly relations with all those who do not claim “neighborly goodwill.”

We would like to conclude our sincere remarks about Azerbaijan’s media with the words of Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President and Head of the Department for Foreign Policy Issues of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Azerbaijan: “Azerbaijani media today are among professionals. I believe that yesterday’s [July 19] words of President Ilham Aliyev about Azerbaijani media demonstrate great trust in them and the highest appreciation of their work. I wish our media success in their future activities aimed at fulfilling the tasks set by the head of state, supporting our statehood, and serving our national interests.”

Couldn’t have said it better!

By Vugar Vugarli, exclusively for Caliber.Az