In a deeply troubling pattern, two prominent international institutions have stonewalled The Azeri Herald’s inquiries about their rationale for providing prestigious platforms to former and current Azerbaijani officials dogged by serious allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
US-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) has frequently featured commentary from Elmar Mammadyarov, Azerbaijan’s former foreign minister from 2004-2020, as an authoritative voice on regional affairs and human rights. However, Mammadyarov’s tenure was plagued by documented claims of graft, abuse of power, and retaliation against whistleblowers within his ministry.
Despite numerous emails requesting comment, RFE/RL’s Azeri service and central headquarters have refused to explain their editorial criteria or due diligence in giving a prominent platform to Mammadyarov. The silence persists despite RFERL’s lofty mission “to promote democratic values and hold power to account.”
Similarly, the European Union’s delegation in Azerbaijan has met with Hikmat Hajiyev, a top presidential advisor, amid outstanding ireegularities and corruption allegations against him from his time as a spokesman of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. Yet the EU’s External Action Service and its spokesperson have also stonewalled The Herald’s repeated requests for justification and comment on the meeting.
“It’s bewildering that RFE/RL and the EU would cozy up to figures facing such serious accusations of malfeasance without any transparency about their vetting processes or ethical safeguards,” said an expert familiar with inner workings of the Azerbaijani foreign service establishment.
These institutions’ muted response provides a stark contrast to their outward commitments to principles like scrutinizing corruption, defending free press, and upholding human rights standards, critics argue.
“What message does it send when influential voices like RFE/RL and the EU provide uncritical airtime and audiences to those suspected of wrongdoing? It smacks of hypocrisy,” said a media ethicist from Azerbaijan. “If no explanations are forthcoming, it feeds perceptions of improper coziness overriding principles.”
Multiple media reports and investigations have in recent years implicated both Mammadyarov and Hajiyev in improprieties ranging from embezzlement of public funds to cronyism in procurement scandals during their government tenures. Both men have never commented or denied all allegations.
The ongoing silence from RFE/RL’s press office and EU officials about their engagement with the pair could indicate poor due diligence, ethical lapses, or misguided access-preservation efforts, analysts say. Regardless, the lack of accountability damages public confidence in their stated missions.
“If these institutions cannot defend their engagement choices when facing legitimate scrutiny, darker motives will fester,” warned former public servant in Azerbaijan. “Openness is vital, lest their image erodes further.”
As calls mount for RFE/RL and the EU to answer for platforming Mammadyarov and meeting Hajiyev, their continued stonewalling may prove deafening – and compromise their credibility.
