Rédaction In recent weeks, two major media outlets in Azerbaijan—Turan News Agency and BBC News Azerbaijani—have ceased operations, signaling an escalating crackdown on independent journalism.
[par Ulviyya Karimova, publié le 27/02/2025]
Turan news agency: A legacy cut short
Turan, the country’s oldest independent news agency, announced its closure on February 13, 2025, citing financial difficulties. In a public letter to readers, Director Mehman Aliyev reflected on Turan’s three-decade-long commitment to objective journalism, despite political and economic challenges. He emphasized that since its founding in 1990, the agency had navigated significant obstacles while striving to maintain independence.
In an interview with Meydan TV, M. Aliyev clarified that Turan never received funding from USAID or European institutions, countering claims from pro-government figures that the agency had foreign financial backing. He acknowledged the dire financial situation of independent media in Azerbaijan, where state control and restricted advertising revenue have made economic survival nearly impossible.
However, some pro-government media figures argue that Turan’s financial struggles are only part of the story.
Vasif Hasanli, editor-in-chief of Demokrat.az, claimed in a Facebook post that Turan’s difficulties were linked to broader international funding cuts. Hasanli alleged that Turan had long been financially dependent on USAID and the Soros network, a claim, the agency has consistently denied.
Translation : The « Turan » news agency has officially announced its closure, citing financial difficulties as the reason. This is true, but they are not revealing the whole truth. The full reality is that the closure of USAID by the Trump Administration in the U.S. has put the organizations it funded in various countries, including « Turan, » in a difficult situation. Without a financial source, the agency can no longer operate. This has also exposed the true nature of « Turan’s » activities. The agency always claimed to be « independent » and insisted that it had no affiliations. However, it was no secret that the agency was funded by USAID and had ties to the Soros network—although they never admitted it and always denied such claims. The fact that « Turan » had to shut down following USAID’s closure is an acknowledgment of this reality!
Political pressure or financial collapse?
While Aliyev insisted that Turan was not directly forced to close, some independent journalists believe otherwise.
Elchin Rahimzade, founder of the YouTube channel Boomerang Media, stated in an interview with Maison des Journalistes that the pressure on independent media in Azerbaijan has intensified.
He noted that 30 journalists are currently imprisoned on what he described as politically motivated charges, and many outlets have either been forced into exile or shut down due to government pressure.
Rahimzade suggested that Turan’s closure was not solely due to financial struggles, pointing to the agency’s recent reporting on Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s official plane. The agency had initially published a report linking the plane to external interference on the same day as a crash involving an AZAL flight near Aktau, Kazakhstan. However, Turan later deleted the article, issued an apology, and acknowledged errors in its reporting. Some journalists believe this incident may have been a turning point, leading to increased government scrutiny of the agency.
Rahimzade compared the situation to his own experiences. He recalled how in 2023, he was forced to suspend Boomerang Media’s activities after enduring a series of threats, including being kidnapped, taken to law enforcement agencies, forced to delete videos, and subjected to court cases by unknown individuals. He suggested that Mehman Aliyev’s decision to shut down Turan was likely a protective measure to avoid similar persecution.
In a separate but related move, the Azerbaijani government ordered the suspension of BBC News Azerbaijani, prompting the organization to close its office in the country. The BBC described the government’s action as a restrictive measure against press freedom, stating that the decision would severely impact their ability to report from Azerbaijan.
A government source, cited by pro-government media outlet APA, claimed that both BBC Azerbaijani and the Russian state-funded Sputnik Azerbaijan were required to reduce their staff to a single correspondent to maintain « parity » between Azerbaijani media abroad and foreign journalists in the country.
Following the shutdown, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada dismissed allegations that the move was an attack on media freedom. He stated that the government’s actions were based on principles of reciprocity and compliance with national legislation. However, the BBC countered this claim, stating that it had not received any formal written communication about the closure and was seeking clarification.
Despite shutting down its office, BBC Azerbaijani affirmed that it would continue broadcasting online, maintaining its coverage of events in the region.
A broader crackdown on independent media
Journalists and analysts view the closure of Turan and BBC Azerbaijani as part of a larger campaign to silence independent media in Azerbaijan.
Leyla Mustafayeva, acting editor-in-chief of Abzas Media, based in Germany noted that for years, the government has intimidated and blackmailed journalists who take a critical stance. She explained that opposition newspapers had shut down, independent outlets have been financially suffocated, and several have been placed under oligarch control.
The government’s actions have led to an exodus of independent journalists. In recent years, media outlets such as Abzas Media, Toplum TV, and Meydan TV have been forced to relocate abroad. Meanwhile, journalists who remain in Azerbaijan face arrests and fabricated charges. According to Reporters Without Borders, Azerbaijan ranks between Russia and Belarus in its 2024 Media Freedom Index, reflecting an increasingly repressive environment.
In November 2023, authorities launched a new wave of crackdowns against independent media. Security forces raided the offices of Abzas Media, detaining seven journalists, including Hafiz Babali, an employee of Turan. Similar raids targeted Toplum TV and the Institute for Democratic Initiatives (IDI) in March 2024, leading to further arrests. By February 2025, the number of imprisoned journalists had risen to 30.
A digital resistance
Despite these challenges, independent media figures insist that silencing critical voices completely is impossible. Mustafayeva pointed out that the digital era has allowed journalists to continue their work in exile, using platforms like YouTube, Telegram and social media to reach audiences.
“Eliminating independent media is the government’s goal, but the internet has made complete suppression unattainable,” she concluded.
Also worth reading : Azerbaijan’s Ombudsperson accuses Human Rights Watch of bias amid crackdown on journalists
