Eight Azerbaijani media outlets reported coordinated attacks on their social media accounts.

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A coordinated attack is being carried out against the accounts of eight independent Azerbaijani media outlets on Facebook* and Instagram* with the aim of exerting pressure, as well as mass complaints about copyright violations are being submitted. Journalists have urged Meta* to verify the sources of the complaints and restore the blocked pages.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", Instagram* blocked the pages of independent Azerbaijani publications Abzas Media and Toplum TV, operating in exile, after complaints about copyright violations. Representatives of the editorial offices consider what is happening to be part of a coordinated campaign to limit their audience and link the attacks to pressure from the Azerbaijani authorities on independent media.

Earlier, Meta* administration blocked the Facebook* page of the Azerbaijani opposition newspaper "Azadlyg", citing mass complaints and a 2019 publication about suicide. The editorial office considered the blocking to be part of the pressure on the publication critical of the authorities.

On August 28, eight independent Azerbaijani media outlets operating in exile issued a joint statement about the attacks on the accounts of some of them. "In recent days, the accounts of a number of independent media and individual journalists working outside Azerbaijan have become the target of a series of digital attacks and numerous complaints about alleged copyright violations," the statement, translated into Russian by a correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot", says.

Our websites have been blocked, and opportunities for professional activity have been systematically restricted.

After such complaints were received, Meta* blocked the pages on Instagram of the online publications Abzas Media and Toplum TV. Earlier, accounts of Azadlıq Qəzeti ("Azadlyg Newspaper") on Facebook* and Instagram* were blocked on similar grounds, as well as the page of the program Azərbaycan Saatı ("Azerbaijan Hour") on Instagram*. The publications Meydan TV and HamamTimes have also faced similar complaints about copyright violations at different times, the document states. "We, the Azerbaijani independent media Abzas Media, Meydan TV, Toplum TV, Azadlıq Qəzeti, Mikroskop Media, Qəzetçi, HamamTimes, and Azərbaycan Saatı, view the increased complaints about copyright violations in recent days as part of a broader campaign of pressure and repression aimed at suppressing independent journalism. For a long time, our media have been subjected to various forms of pressure. Journalists and editorial staff have been arrested and prosecuted, many have been forced to leave the country. Our websites have been blocked, and opportunities for professional activity have been systematically restricted," the statement further indicates.

The authors of the document point out that currently more than 25 journalists are imprisoned in Azerbaijan, including employees of some of the mentioned media. "We believe that what is happening today is not a series of random and unrelated incidents, but a continuation of the wave of repression that began in 2023. After independent media within the country became the target of arrests and other forms of pressure, attempts are now being made to limit their presence and access to the audience on social networks. These actions pursue the same goal - to silence independent and critical journalism," the media representatives assert.

In recent days, complaints have been received one after another regarding journalistic materials that were published at different times, are unrelated, and were obtained from various sources, the authors of the document emphasize. "At the same time, the individuals submitting the complaints do not provide evidence that they hold copyright on the materials for which claims are made. Despite this, automated systems of social platforms accept such complaints, delete journalistic materials, and upon accumulating a certain number of complaints, can completely deactivate the media accounts. Our analysis of the collected data shows that some complaints about copyright violations were submitted by the same person from the same email addresses. In other cases, complaints were submitted under different names, however, the data, email addresses, details, and nature of the formulations mentioned in them are repeated in the same pattern," the statement of the 8 Azerbaijani media indicates.

Pressure under the guise of copyright protection mechanisms is a direct interference in the activities of independent media and limits journalists' access to their audience.

The recurrence of these signs, as well as the systematic submission of complaints about unrelated materials in the same manner, indicate the coordinated nature of the attacks and suggest that they are being carried out purposefully and have a single source, the authors of the document believe. "It is evident that the copyright protection mechanism in this case is used not only as a legal tool but also as a means of limiting independent media's access to the audience and effectively paralyzing their work. Pressure under the guise of copyright protection mechanisms is a direct interference in the activities of independent media and limits journalists' access to their audience. At the same time, it deprives citizens of the opportunity to receive independent and alternative information and limits their right to freedom of expression through digital platforms. The truth is that in a country where there is no free press, people seek reliable information precisely on social media platforms, but this source is also being targeted for closure. Such attempts are not new in the activities of the Azerbaijani government, but now these attacks on alternative sources of information have taken on a more intense and sophisticated character," one of the signatories of the statement, the editor-in-chief of Azadlıq qəzeti and the head of the television program Azərbaycan saatı, told a correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot".

The authors of the statement called on Meta* and other social platforms to view what is happening not as a collection of separate technical complaints, but as a possible coordinated campaign. In their view, platforms should carefully check the sources of incoming complaints; the reuse of the same individuals and email addresses; whether the complainants have valid copyrights on the materials for which complaints are made; possible targeted abuse of copyright protection mechanisms; the interconnection between numerous complaints received regarding different media. "We also urge Meta* and other social platforms to take into account the assessments, statements, and reports of international organizations for the protection of human rights and freedom of the media regarding the situation in Azerbaijan. Meta* must urgently review the decisions to deactivate the accounts of independent media and restore the pages blocked as a result of unfounded complaints. More effective protection mechanisms must be created to prevent automated moderation systems from becoming tools of censorship and suppression of independent media through coordinated complaint campaigns," the statement emphasizes.

Journalists who are imprisoned must be released.

The document also contains demands to the Azerbaijani government to "cease the policy of repression aimed at suppressing independent media," including arrests and criminal prosecution of journalists, blocking independent information resources, pressure on journalists and media staff forced to work outside the country, interference in the work of independent media through digital platforms. "Journalists who are imprisoned must be released. Independent media must be provided with the opportunity to work freely and have unhindered access to their audience," the statement further says.

The authors of the document called on international organizations for the protection of media freedom and digital rights to "carefully monitor what is happening, publicly respond to such cases, and demand from social platforms transparent, responsible, and prompt consideration of complaints."

The Azerbaijani authorities reject claims of persecution of government critics and restrictions on media and Internet freedom. "Media freedom is ensured in Azerbaijan. There is no censorship in Azerbaijan, [but there is] free internet, and hundreds of media operate. Therefore, it would be unfair to criticize Azerbaijan for actions allegedly aimed at hindering media development. What kind of restriction can there be with a free internet?" - said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in April 2024 in Berlin at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Aliyev linked the arrests of journalists to "illegal financing from abroad."

Earlier, as reported by "Caucasian Knot", against the backdrop of reports of account blockages related to the newspaper "Azadlyg", Meydan TV pointed out Azerbaijan's financial interests in Meta*. "The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) invested $179 million in Meta shares in the first quarter of 2024, for the first time including the company in the top five largest technology investments of the fund. At that time, Meta shares accounted for 1.4% of SOFAZ's stock portfolio," the publication notes.