The Azerbaijani government has revoked the correspondent accreditation of the Voice of America (VOA) in the country. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) confirmed the decision through its spokesperson, Aykhan Hajizada, in a statement to local media. The Azerbaijani service of VOA has been active since 1952, though its broadcasts were previously limited to shortwave radio until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has long positioned himself as a staunch critic of Western governments and the United States, a stance that echoes the legacy of his father, Heydar Aliyev, while adapting to contemporary geopolitical challenges. Rooted in accusations of hypocrisy, interference, and bias, Aliyev’s rhetoric has intensified in recent years, particularly as Azerbaijan asserts its regional dominance following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh victory. Azeri and American media offer contrasting lenses on this dynamic, while a fresh wave of attacks on independent media in Azerbaijan underscores the domestic implications of his anti-Western posture.
A Legacy of Skepticism
Ilham Aliyev’s skepticism toward the West builds on his father’s Cold War-era mistrust, sharpened by Azerbaijan’s post-Soviet struggles. Azeri state outlet Azerbaijan.az portrays him as a defender of national sovereignty, resisting Western pressures that began with the U.S.’s Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act—a 1992 measure barring aid to Azerbaijan over its conflict with Armenia. Aliyev has frequently cited this as evidence of Western bias, a narrative reinforced by state media claims that he has “unmasked the double standards” of global powers.
American perspectives differ sharply. A 2015 Brookings Institution analysis described Aliyev’s shift away from his father’s Western-friendly policies as a deliberate pivot, driven by frustration over U.S. criticism of Azerbaijan’s human rights record and perceived support for Armenia. The New York Times, in a 2023 piece, labeled him an “autocrat” whose anti-Western stance masks efforts to consolidate power, noting his rejection of U.S.-backed peace initiatives with Armenia in favor of closer ties with Russia and Turkey.
Aliyev’s defiance peaked at COP29 in November 2024, hosted in Baku. In his opening speech, reported by Euronews, he accused Western nations of hypocrisy for buying Azeri gas while condemning its fossil fuel economy, declaring, “Oil and gas are a gift from God, just like wind and sun.” Azeri outlet Anadolu Agency hailed this as a bold stand against “Western fake news media,” while The Independent criticized it as a deflection from his regime’s environmental and human rights failures.
Escalating Rhetoric Against the U.S.
Aliyev’s criticism of the U.S. has grown more pointed. In a 2020 BBC interview, widely circulated online, he challenged a journalist’s questions about press freedom by citing the imprisonment of Julian Assange, asking, “How can you talk about free media when you keep that person hostage?” Azeri sources like Trend.az praised this as exposing Western “moral bankruptcy.” Conversely, American outlets like Reuters framed it as a tactic to dodge accountability, pointing to Azerbaijan’s own record of jailing journalists.
Recent U.S. actions have fueled Aliyev’s ire. In 2023, Senator Ben Cardin called for halting security aid to Azerbaijan over alleged “ethnic cleansing” in Nagorno-Karabakh—a charge Baku denies. Aliyev responded via state media, accusing the U.S. of “coordinated blackmail” to undermine Azerbaijan’s sovereignty, a sentiment echoed in his January 2025 remarks labeling Armenia a “fascist state” propped up by Western allies, per Civilnet.
Crackdown on Independent Media: A Domestic Flashpoint
Aliyev’s anti-Western stance coincides with a relentless campaign against independent media in Azerbaijan, intensifying in late 2024. On December 30, 2024, authorities arrested four journalists from Abzas Media—Ulvi Hasanli, Sevinj Vagifgizi, Mahammad Kekalov, and Nargiz Absalamova—on charges of smuggling foreign currency. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) denounced this as a “frontal assault” to silence critical voices ahead of COP29, a claim bolstered by Eurasianet’s reporting on the arrests as part of a broader pattern of repression.
Azeri state media countered that the journalists violated financial laws, dismissing Western criticism as interference. Yet, the crackdown follows a history of media suppression. The 2014 raid on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Baku office, documented by Brookings, and the 2022 media law restricting journalistic freedom, noted by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), reflect a consistent strategy. Outlets like Meydan TV now operate from exile, while local journalists face harassment and DDoS attacks, per Foreign Policy.
American media, such as The Washington Post, link this repression to Aliyev’s anti-Western narrative, arguing it stifles dissent that might align with U.S. or European values. In contrast, Azerbaijan.az insists the country’s 80% internet penetration proves media freedom, a claim Aliyev reiterated at COP29, rejecting censorship allegations as “slander.”
Ilham Aliyev’s stance against Western governments and the U.S. blends historical grievances with modern defiance, positioning Azerbaijan as a counterweight to perceived Western hegemony. Azeri sources celebrate this as a triumph of independence, while American outlets decry it as autocratic posturing. The ongoing crackdown on independent media—evidenced by recent arrests and a legacy of suppression—casts a shadow over his rhetoric, highlighting the domestic cost of his geopolitical gambit. As Azerbaijan navigates its role on the world stage, Aliyev’s clash with the West shows no signs of abating.
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