The activities of the BBC’s Azerbaijan bureau are being carried out illegally, as the organization has no legal grounds to operate in the country, according to the Legal Department of the Media Development Agency of Azerbaijan (MEDIA Agency), APA reported.
The statement follows reports that employees of the BBC’s former Baku office – which was previously shut down and deregistered – continue to engage in journalistic activity, including sending inquiries to state institutions and conducting investigations.
The agency clarified that under Azerbaijan’s Law on Media, branches and representative offices of foreign media organizations may operate in the country only if such activity is provided for by international treaties to which Azerbaijan is a party.
“If a foreign media entity operates without a relevant international agreement, this constitutes grounds for its closure,” the agency said. “Foreign journalists must also obtain official accreditation from the relevant state authority in order to work legally in Azerbaijan.”
Regarding the BBC’s status, the agency confirmed that no international agreement exists allowing it to maintain a presence in the country. Consequently, the bureau has been removed from the state register of legal entities, and the accreditations of its staff have been revoked.
“At present, the BBC’s representative office in Azerbaijan has no legal basis for its activities. It is not recognized as a media entity, and its unaccredited employees have no right to engage in journalism. Any such activity constitutes a serious violation of the law and creates no obligations for the individuals or institutions it contacts,” the agency emphasized.
