Information campaigns by the Azerbaijani media continue. On 16 August, Baku.TV published a video on its YouTube channel, in which it talks about Armenia’s mining industry, the alleged damages resulting from it, etc. It is noted that the local environmentalists told the whole truth. Targeting mining companies, the media also wrote in the subtitles of the video that Armenia’s mining companies are destroying the region.
It is noteworthy that Inga Zarafyan an Armenian Expert, the President of “EkoLur” Information NGO, member of the board of the Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center, speaks in it.
The latter wrote on her Facebook page referring to the topic, and stated that that she was not aware that the comments taken from her would be used by the Azerbaijani press.
The information presented by her was adapted by Azerbaijan and used in propaganda against Armenia.
“Natalya Khokhlova, who introduced herself as a correspondent of the Russian “Bloknot” Network of Information Sites, approached me and asked for an interview about the environmental situation in Armenia.
On 3 August, 2023, she met with me, but before the visit, getting acquainted with the network of “Bloknot” Information Sites, it became clear that it is controlled by the Government of the Russian Federation,” she said, and added that she was sure that the journalist’s visit to Armenia was not accidental, but was an order from Azerbaijan.
Notably, Inga Zarafyan is a member of the Multi-Stakeholder Group of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative of the Republic of Armenia, to which Sona Ayvazyan, executive director of the “Transparency International” Anti-Corruption Center is also a member.
Iravaban.net spoke about such challenges in the information field with Information Security Specialist Samvel Martirosyan. He urged specialists and experts in various fields to be careful, check the media, journalists or organizations that ask for comments on this or that
issue, especially foreign media.
Recently, Azerbaijan’s targeting of Armenian industrial enterprises has become more active, especially in the Syunik region. According to the media expert, by doing that, Azerbaijan pursues several goals.
“First: to discredit Armenia. It is done in several directions, also environmental. 2nd: to negatively affect the RA economy. The 3rd is much more dangerous and far-reaching. They will try to open environmental topics in the occupied territories and take it to international platforms, use it against Armenia, which may work for them,” Samvel Martirosyan said, adding that the Azerbaijanis are looking for points by which it is possible to “blacken” Armenia.
Azerbaijan wants to deal with the processes taking place in the neighboring country, forgetting about the problems related to environmental protection in its own territory. However, in this case, Armenia has not set itself the task of conducting systematic information wars and is not dealing with this issue.
“We do not have clear information security structures that work situationally, but continuously and offensively. We do not have a clear strategy, cooperation between structures. Each, does what he can. Everyone does what they can, but it is done at fidayi level. And in Azerbaijan it is at the state level, and Türkiye is behind them,” the expert noted.
When disseminating information, it is important to know, be interested, and find out what sources will use it. Especially nowadays, it is important to be media literate and have a clear idea of how to properly use the mass communication medium to avoid becoming an Azerbaijani propaganda tool. A media literate person, regardless of profession, should be able to find, distribute, discuss, and interpret information while maintaining certain limits of literacy.
