The Azerbaijan Media and Broadcasting Council has accused the Iranian Sahar Azeri television channel of taking footage recorded in Turkey out of context. The Council announced that footage from an event held in Diyarbakır was presented as a demonstration in support of women wearing headscarves in Azerbaijan.
The statement noted that misrepresenting the location where the footage was filmed and the purpose of the event was an example of journalism aimed at misleading the public. For this reason, the Council announced that Sahar Azeri has been blacklisted.
According to information in the Azerbaijani press, the footage in question was recorded at a religious event held in the Sur district of Diyarbakır on October 11. It was reported that the event, titled "I Intend to Wear a Headscarf, Your Command is Above My Head," was organized for young girls and youth wearing headscarves for the first time.
It was stated that participants marched and chanted religious slogans during the event. It is alleged that Sahar Azeri broadcast this footage by associating it with a protest organized in support of women wearing headscarves in Azerbaijan.
In its statement, the Council described the broadcast in question as "a clear example of disinformation aimed at the severe distortion of facts, the intentional manipulation of public opinion, and the misinformation of viewers."
The Azerbaijan Media and Broadcasting Council argued that Sahar Azeri systematically includes biased and untrue content in its news about Azerbaijan. The statement claimed that the channel follows a broadcasting policy aimed at creating a negative perception of Azerbaijan.
The Council called on media organizations to observe the principles of accuracy and impartiality in their news. Citizens were also urged to critically evaluate information they encounter on social media and other platforms, to verify claims through reliable sources, and not to contribute to the spread of misinformation.
News Source: 12punto
