The Death of Journalism in Azerbaijan

The report outlines a sustained crackdown on independent journalism in Azerbaijan, where pro-government outlets (e.g., Baku TV, APA, Qafqazinfo) published alleged private communications from journalists—some potentially obtained through coercion or surveillance—amid a broader environment of state-controlled media (AzTV, Azertag) and opaque pro-government ownership via Global Media Group (linked publicly to Elnur Abdullayev). It references prior targeting of Azerbaijani journalists with Pegasus spyware, ongoing legal actions by Media Defence at the European Court of Human Rights, and describes how smear campaigns and suspected device access have been used to intimidate and discredit reporters. The piece also mentions international context, including U.S. funding decisions affecting media (e.g., Voice of America) and GMG’s 2024 pledge to the U.N. Global Compact, underscoring the intersection of political influence, surveillance, and media control.