International criticism of the government’s crackdown on free media and civil society is the result of one thing: the government’s crackdown on free media and civil society. This is stated in a statement by the US Embassy in Azerbaijan.
“The fact is that nearly three dozen journalists and bloggers have been arrested since November 2023. Is it ‘cowardly’ to ask why? Or is it ‘cowardly’ to try to distract the Azerbaijani public from this fact? Remember to seek out diverse sources of information, question narratives, and remain vigilant to avoid being misled,” the embassy said in a statement.