Azerbaijan requests legal assistance from Turkey over social media posts

The Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan announced that international legal assistance has been requested from Turkey regarding individuals under investigation over social media posts, including Turkish journalist Celal Çiftçi.

It was reported that an international arrest warrant has been issued for Turkish citizen and journalist Celal Çiftçi within the scope of the investigation. According to the Prosecutor General's Office's statement dated October 16, it is alleged that Çiftçi and certain individuals committed the crimes of "calls for the violent seizure of power in Azerbaijan, forcible change of the constitutional order, and instigation of religious hatred and hostility" in their posts.

Azerbaijani authorities stated that a criminal investigation has been initiated within the scope of these allegations and that legal assistance applications have been sent to Turkey's competent authorities. Such a request can normally encompass various investigative procedures such as taking testimony under custody, and obtaining information and documents. Which procedures will be carried out in Turkey depends on the content of the request and the evaluation of the competent authorities under Turkish law. Whether Turkey will take action in line with the request has not been announced yet.