Azerbaijan orders closure of BBC office in Baku

Azerbaijan has directed the BBC to cease operations within the country, officials in Baku announced Thursday, a decision condemned by the British broadcaster as a “restriction on press freedom.”

The government of President Ilham Aliyev, who has governed the oil-rich Caucasus nation for decades, has repeatedly faced international criticism for suppressing independent media and targeting political dissent.

Ayhan Hajizade, spokesperson for Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry, stated that the BBC’s presence lacked “legal justification” under the principle of “reciprocity,” though no specific details were provided to clarify the abrupt closure.

In response, the BBC confirmed it had “no choice” but to shut down its office following verbal directives from Azerbaijani authorities. The broadcaster expressed regret over the decision, emphasizing that it “undermines press freedom”** and obstructs its ability to report on Azerbaijan for audiences both domestically and globally.

The BBC’s Azerbaijani service, established in 1994, reaches approximately one million weekly listeners and readers. Hajizade accused the BBC of “politicizing the issue” and applying “double standards,”while noting that one BBC correspondent would retain accreditation despite the office closure.

Azerbaijan ranks among the world’s most repressive environments for journalists, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which asserts that the government dominates the media landscape and aggressively silences remaining independent outlets and critical voices.

Baku also hinted at “similar measures” against other foreign media organizations but did not elaborate.