Azerbaijan Denounces Fake Deepfake Statements Attributed to Government Officials

Baku, The Gulf Observer: The Media Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan has strongly condemned the circulation of fabricated statements on social media falsely attributed to the Minister of Defense and the Minister of Foreign Affairs regarding the alleged downing of a Belarusian aircraft in Russian airspace.

According to the Agency, the purported statements were created using “deepfake” technologies and have no factual basis, representing a deliberate act of information manipulation intended to mislead public opinion.

“These fake videos, generated through the use of artificial intelligence, are a blatant example of disinformation tactics,” the Agency said in its official statement.

The Agency urged the public to exercise caution and to rely exclusively on verified information disseminated by official sources, including national news agencies and other professional media outlets.

“We call on Azerbaijani citizens, journalists, and public activists to adopt a principled stance against such malicious acts,” the statement continued, highlighting the growing threat posed by deepfake technology and the increasing prevalence of false and deceptive content across digital platforms.

The Media Development Agency emphasized the importance of media literacy and public vigilance, especially at a time when emerging technologies are being exploited to erode public trust, distort facts, and manipulate perception.

The incident serves as a timely reminder of the need for collective responsibility in upholding the integrity of public discourse and protecting national security from the dangers of digital misinformation.