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Akbar Novruz

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Azerbaijan's Prosecutor General's Office has launched a criminal investigation into alleged public calls for the violent seizure of power, attempts to change the country's constitutional order by force and the incitement of religious hatred.

According to an official statement, the investigation concerns materials circulated on social media by several individuals, including Turkish citizen Celal Çiftçi, born in 1975, who is a columnist for the Turkish newspaper Şanlıurfa Olay.

The Prosecutor General's Office said the investigation was initiated following information received about social media publications allegedly promoting the forcible seizure of power in Azerbaijan and inciting religious hatred and hostility.

According to the statement, following the adoption of Cabinet of Ministers Decision No. 309 on September 21, 2026, materials allegedly promoting religious radicalism, the violent overthrow of the government and changes to the constitutional order were repeatedly circulated online.

The authorities said some of these materials had been generated using artificial intelligence, while other publications contained calls for radical action under various headings.

Based on the collected evidence, Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev initiated a criminal case on October 16 under three articles of Azerbaijan's Criminal Code:

Article 281.2: Repeated public calls for the violent seizure of power or violent alteration of the constitutional order.

Article 283.2.1: Incitement of religious hatred and hostility through the use of force, based on religious enmity, radicalism or fanaticism.

Article 167-3.1: Preparation, storage or dissemination of materials calling for, justifying or legitimising religious extremist activities.

The preliminary investigation has been assigned to the Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General's Office.

The statement confirmed that Celal Çiftçi has been formally charged in connection with the case and placed on an international wanted list.

Azerbaijani authorities are also preparing requests for international legal assistance to the relevant institutions in Türkiye to facilitate investigative measures involving Çiftçi and other individuals.

The Prosecutor General's Office said further investigative actions were underway to establish the circumstances surrounding the creation and dissemination of the materials, identify other relevant facts and provide a legal assessment of the alleged offences.

The authorities emphasised that the investigation would seek to ensure an objective, comprehensive and thorough examination of the available information before decisions are taken in accordance with the law.

The Prosecutor General's Office also urged the public to avoid circulating materials that promote religious hatred or hostility, emphasising the importance of religious tolerance, mutual respect and social solidarity.

It called on social media users to exercise responsibility and comply with legal requirements when publishing or sharing content.