“Under the guise of media activities, large-scale campaigns are being carried out to shape public opinion and destabilize political situations in sovereign countries. Such actions interfere in the internal affairs of other states, undermine local institutions, and erode trust in governments. This is especially evident in the work of the Russian Sputnik and its staff. In response to an open letter from the Russian Union of Journalists protesting the arrest of Sputnik Azerbaijan employees, addressed to international organizations and journalist and human rights groups, we find it necessary to present an objective view of the situation to the global community,” the statement said, News.Az reports, citing local media.
The Press Council emphasized that the letter contains serious distortions of facts, clearly aimed at manipulating international public opinion.
“The detention of Sputnik Azerbaijan’s head Igor Kartavykh and chief editor Evgeny Belousov is not connected to their journalistic duties, contrary to claims made in the letter. It is important to stress that these individuals cooperated with Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) and were in Azerbaijan to carry out tasks unrelated to journalism. Their detention was lawful and fully in line with national legislation and legal procedures.
For context, Vitaly Denisov, a career officer of Russian intelligence closely linked to the GRU, led Sputnik Azerbaijan for several years. He previously headed Sputnik South Ossetia and Sputnik Moldova, managing information and propaganda campaigns promoting the Kremlin’s agenda through media outlets in these regions,” the statement explained.
Denisov was expelled from Azerbaijan and Moldova for his subversive activities, highlighting that under the guise of journalism, operations unrelated to informing the public are often carried out—coordinated influence and interference efforts that threaten the national security of host countries.
“These tactics, using pseudo-media outlets like Sputnik, are part of a broader hybrid strategy aimed at destabilizing sovereign nations. This is confirmed by reports from leading international bodies such as the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, EUvsDisinfo, and EDMO, which identify Sputnik as a key instrument in Russia’s disinformation campaign targeting internal political processes abroad.
It’s no surprise then that Sputnik is officially banned or blocked in 32 countries, including all 27 EU member states, as well as Ukraine, the UK, Canada, Switzerland, and Australia,” the statement noted.
The Press Council expressed deep concern that instead of addressing serious issues of journalist persecution and press freedom restrictions within Russia, the Russian Union of Journalists largely ignores these problems.
“Numerous arrests and systematic pressure on independent media are pushed to the margins of public and political debate.
According to international journalist and human rights organizations, over 50 journalists have been killed in Russia since 1992, with strong indications these murders were connected to their work. Between 2019 and 2024, at least 26 journalists were detained or arrested, underscoring ongoing systemic issues with freedom of expression and independent journalism. Reports from respected international organizations highlight a dramatic 60-70% decline in independent media in Russia, reflecting a deeply entrenched trend of suppressing free speech.
High-profile cases, such as the politically motivated murders of Yuri Shchekochikhin, Anna Politkovskaya, Pavel Sheremet, Paul Khlebnikov, and others, remain unsolved. Since the start of Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine, media censorship has intensified, alternative viewpoints are actively suppressed, and journalists expressing dissent face harassment and arrest,” the statement said.
The Press Council also criticized the Russian Union of Journalists for backing those accused of espionage while failing to defend independent journalists at real risk within Russia.
“In the case of Sputnik Azerbaijan, which functioned as a branch of the Russian FSB, international journalist and human rights groups should seriously consider the ties between so-called independent Russian journalistic organizations and the intelligence services, and their use as tools of political influence and information manipulation.
We call on the global journalistic and human rights communities to respond firmly to these information sabotage efforts and condemn the use of media for political agendas,” the statement concluded.
