Prosecutor General opens probe into calls to overthrow government

The Prosecutor General’s Office of Azerbaijan has initiated a criminal investigation into public calls for the violent seizure of power, subversion of the constitutional order, and incitement of religious hostility.

The probe follows the dissemination of radical religious content across social networks—including artificial intelligence-generated media—subsequent to Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 309 adopted on September 21, 2026. Turkish national Celal Ciftci (born 1975), a columnist for Şanlıurfa Olay, was identified among the perpetrators.

On October 16, the Prosecutor General formally opened cases under Articles 281.2, 283.2.1, and 167-3.1 of the Criminal Code, assigning the investigation to the agency's Investigation Department. Ciftci has been charged in absentia and placed on international wanted lists, with official requests for mutual legal assistance submitted to Turkish authorities.