JX Fund – European Fund for Journalism in Exile

CONTEXT

AZERBAIJAN MEDIA IN EXILE SINCE 2015

In the face of deepening authoritarianism, Azerbaijan’s independent media have undergone a dramatic displacement. What was once a small but active journalistic community has, over the past decade, been pushed almost entirely beyond the country’s borders. Today, the exiled media sector operates primarily from Berlin, Tbilisi, and various locations in the United States.

This transformation unfolded in two major waves, first between 2015 and 2017, and then again from 2020 to 2021, triggered by mounting state pressure, arrests, surveillance, and the systematic closure of newsrooms. Journalists were targeted through border interrogations, phone checks, and digital monitoring, often forced to flee with little or no time to prepare as domestic teams collapsed under growing threats.

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“It worries me that with this level of pressure and repressions, independent journalism in Azerbaijan could entirely disappear as a phenomenon.”

Leyla Mustafayeva, former editor-in-chief, Abzas Media

“The lives of Azerbaijani political exiles—bloggers and others—are in danger, as the Azerbaijani authorities will stop at nothing in their hunt for opponents.” 

Afgan Mukhtarli, exiled journalist, bne Intellinews

FIGURES & TRENDS

MEDIA PROFILES

Azerbaijan’s exiled media landscape reveals a strong national orientation. Out of the 13 outlets, 12 can be characterized as having national coverage, highlighting a shared focus on state-level politics, accountability, and broad public communication. Regional or community-specific initiatives remain relatively marginal.

A notable number of independent media outlets were launched after 2014, a period marked by growing pressure on domestic journalism. Peaks in media formation coincide with periods of heightened repression, such as the 2014 crackdown and the post-2020 wave of arrests, site closures, and harassment. This reactive dynamic suggests that the growth of the exiled media sector is closely linked to the dismantling of in-country infrastructure rather than long-term planning or market evolution.

Azerbaijani remains the dominant language across all outlets. English is used by four outlets primarily for outreach to international audiences, funders, and diaspora readers. Russian, Georgian, and Armenian appear in isolated cases, mostly within multilingual platforms like JAM News. Despite these additions, content remains predominantly centered around Azerbaijani-speaking audiences, with minimal investment in language diversification.

Overall, the data confirms a structurally concentrated media environment shaped by crisis response. While there is a degree of linguistic and structural innovation, the ecosystem remains rooted in national-level coverage and Azerbaijani-language production. Further diversification would likely require targeted investment, translation capacity, and demand from specific diaspora or minority constituencies.

FIGURES & TRENDS

REACH & DISTRIBUTION

Independent media in exile from Azerbaijan show a strong orientation toward video-driven and social-first platforms. All outlets surveyed (100%) maintain both YouTube channels and Facebook accounts, underlining the importance of visual storytelling and social engagement in reaching audiences both inside and outside the country. Notably, YouTube alone accounts for over 3 million cumulative followers, while Facebook almost reaches 2 million.

Instagram (85%) and TikTok (77%) are also widely used, suggesting a shift toward shorter, mobile-optimized formats that cater to younger demographics and circumvent traditional media restrictions. In contrast, Telegram remains underutilized (46% of outlets), likely due to its limited reach among Azerbaijani users compared to other platforms in the region.

Despite the growing reliance on social media, 85% of outlets still maintain dedicated websites, ensuring long-form content, archiving, and editorial independence. X (92%) is also widely used, although its cumulative follower count remains low, likely reflecting recent platform restrictions or declining relevance in the Azerbaijani context.

Azerbaijan’s exiled media are primarily positioned as political actors, as evidenced by their thematic and format distributions. Politics dominates the editorial space, followed by general news and legal or human rights coverage. These areas form the sector’s core identity, reflecting the collapse of domestic journalistic institutions and the role of exiled outlets in counterbalancing state narratives.

Secondary topics such as economy and society appear with moderate frequency, reflecting some efforts to expand editorial scope beyond strictly oppositional coverage. Still, themes such as ecology, business, civil activism, and minority issues remain relatively limited, pointing to a lack of thematic breadth. Topics such as feminism, culture, and entertainment are also present, but mostly confined to a few experimental or youth-oriented platforms.

Most outlets rely on online broadcasting, which remains the dominant infrastructure for reaching both domestic and diaspora audiences. Interviews and investigative work follow closely, suggesting continued investment in original reporting and source-driven content. However, labor-intensive formats such as in-depth analysis, podcasts, and long-form magazine-style production remain rare. This reflects resource constraints and the pressure to produce fast, responsive content under restrictive conditions.

Visual reporting has a modest but visible presence, with video reports used selectively. Their growth is often tied to social media optimization and the shift away from websites as primary news portals. At the same time, the low number of outlets producing regular podcasts or structured analysis highlights a gap in slower, reflective formats that could help build long-term engagement and trust.

Overall, the data confirms that the sector remains anchored in core political and news coverage, with limited capacity to expand thematically or structurally. Without stronger support for content diversification and format development, Azerbaijan’s exiled media risk stagnation around a narrow set of narratives and delivery modes.

FIGURES & TRENDS

COMMUNITY

Media & Journalist Associations

• Baku Press Club – A professional platform supporting Azerbaijani and foreign journalists in exile.
• Parliament Journalists Union – A national association promoting professional standards and civic engagement among journalists.

Think Tanks & Research Centers

• Baku Research Institute (BRI) – An independent non‑profit registered in both Azerbaijan and the United States. Founded in 2018, it has resisted state co‑optation and funding, focusing on human rights, democracy, and liberal values

Civil Society & Advocacy Networks

• Free Voices Collective – A cross-sectoral initiative supporting exiled journalists, researchers, and artists from authoritarian countries, including Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani media and civil society community are partially organized and primarily operate through informal and transnational networks. Domestic coordination is severely constrained by legal repression, surveillance, and threats of retaliation. Exiled journalists collaborate from hubs such as Berlin, Tbilisi, and Washington, often with donor support. Advocacy, capacity-building, and content exchange are the strongest areas of cooperation, while fragmented editorial priorities and resource limitations hinder deeper institutional integration. There is no central coordinating body, but shared goals and peer recognition help sustain functional solidarity.

„Despite relentless pressure, independent media have continued to survive, resist, and fight back. Every time we face pressure, we also see growth. More people engage with our content, and public support strengthens. Even in the most repressive countries in the world, the truth finds a way to reach people. We will continue — and future generations will continue — to deliver this truth, because it is needed.“

Orkhan Mammad, editor-in-chief, Meydan TV

„The founding father of Azerbaijan, Mammad Amin Rasulzadeh was a journalist. Even after the Soviet takeover, he and other Azerbaijanis kept their independent media alive, albeit in exile, waiting for an eventual return. I believe Azerbaijani journalism will endure this autocratic phase as well.“

Javid Agha, exiled journalist, bne Intellinews

EXPERT COMMENT

PERSPECTIVES & PREDICTIONS

The Azerbaijani media in exile has undergone a complex and difficult transformation in recent years. The domestic media environment has steadily deteriorated over the past two decades due to increasing state control, legal restrictions, arrests of journalists, and systematic suppression of independent outlets. Media freedom was never well protected, but conditions have progressively worsened, forcing many outlets to relocate abroad.

A key trend in this transformation is the shift toward short-form and visual content. Many outlets have adapted by focusing on formats suitable for platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram. These changes have been driven both by consumer preferences and by the collapse of physical infrastructure within the country. Visual storytelling, especially explainer videos, has proven to be highly effective in reaching audiences and simplifying complex issues.

The function of exiled media has also evolved. Rather than operating solely as news providers, many outlets have become platforms for community engagement and tools for maintaining transnational connections. However, audience engagement remains a challenge. In many cases, journalism continues to be perceived as part of the nonprofit or NGO sphere, which has contributed to a lack of financial support from readers. There is limited public understanding of the resources and effort required to produce high-quality journalism.

Non-grant revenues remain marginal. While some outlets have experimented with crowdfunding platforms or small-scale product development, these approaches have not resulted in significant or sustainable income. Financial independence is extremely rare. Most exiled outlets continue to rely almost entirely on international donors and foundations, which occasionally provide professional support or training in addition to funding.

Coordination among outlets has improved somewhat, but challenges remain. Many key figures are involved in multiple projects and capacity constraints make it difficult to develop joint strategies. Legal and emergency assistance is available in some cases but tends to be fragmented and inconsistent.

Looking ahead, the most urgent challenges include sustainability, digital security, and maintaining visibility. Fewer international allies are present today, while authoritarian regimes have become more sophisticated in retaining control. There is a clear need for long-term strategic support, not just short-term interventions. Continued public engagement, cross-border collaboration, and innovation in content and outreach will be critical in navigating the difficult environment ahead.

By Arzu Geybulla, exiled journalist