President's aide: Azerbaijan battles disinformation campaigns from Western media, Armenian diaspora

Many influential foreign media organisations systematically lead disinformation campaigns against Azerbaijan, Hikmat Hajiyev, the Azerbaijani president's aide, told journalists on the sidelines of the 3rd Shusha Global Media Forum in Shusha.

He noted that since the early years of independence, Azerbaijan has constantly been subjected to disinformation attacks, which at times reached the level of psychological warfare, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

“Yesterday, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, spoke in detail about this issue. Primarily, these attacks come from Western media circles. However, today, when it comes to disinformation, social networks or artificial intelligence platforms somehow take the spotlight. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan’s experience shows that quite authoritative media organisations, starting from Le Figaro and beyond, are at the forefront of systematic disinformation campaigns against Azerbaijan,” Hajiyev said.

According to Hajiyev, on social networks, there is a widespread disinformation campaign using artificial intelligence technology such as deepfake, which even distorts the voices of official Azerbaijani figures.

The president's assistant emphasised that Armenian diaspora groups also conduct campaigns against Azerbaijan with various narratives — distorting the history of Karabakh and bringing religious issues to the agenda.

He also added that the open dialogue of President Ilham Aliyev with representatives of global media is a crucial tool in the fight against disinformation targeting the country.

“The Head of State openly answered journalists’ questions from more than 50 countries over two and a half hours. Such an open dialogue is one of the most important tools to break through the front of disinformation against Azerbaijan and convey the truth to the international community,” he said.

Hajiyev highlighted the significant role of Azerbaijani media in this process. According to him, Azerbaijani media, acting in the interest of the country’s national security, serve as a shield against information campaigns and deliver objective truth about Azerbaijan to the international public.

“Today, the indicators of our media sphere in content creation and production have significantly increased. This concerns not only Azerbaijani-language but also foreign-language content. Recently, fact-checking is also being used more frequently in our media. In addition, mechanisms for identifying and exposing disinformation within state bodies have been significantly strengthened. However, this is a never-ending struggle, and we must constantly stay informed on all significant matters,” Hajiyev said.

The 3rd Shusha Global Media Forum, held from July 19 to 21, in Khankendi, Shusha, Azerbaijan, is themed “Digital Pathways: Strengthening Information and Media Resilience in the Age of AI.” Launched in 2023, the forum has become a prominent platform for global media dialogue, addressing critical issues like disinformation, media sustainability, and the ethical use of artificial intelligence in journalism.

The event attracts over 140 participants from 52 countries, including representatives from more than 30 news agencies, 7 international organisations, and nearly 80 media outlets, alongside Azerbaijani media professionals, experts, and officials.

By Khagan Isayev