In Azerbaijan, a Falsified Statement Draws Attention to the 2013 Elections and Putin's Role

The scandal surrounding a falsified document, allegedly drafted by the National Council of Democratic Forces, has revived questions about political interference and maneuvers in the 2013 presidential elections in Azerbaijan. On Sunday, the pro-government newspaper Yeni Azerbaijan, the official organ of the ruling party Yeni Azerbaijan, published what it claimed was an appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin from representatives of the country's opposition. In the purported letter, the Kremlin was urged to support the overthrow of the Azerbaijani government through economic and political pressure.

The published fake letter quotes the National Council of Democratic Forces, an alliance of opposition parties, supposedly calling on Putin to intervene: "At your discretion, such a strong and just state as the Russian Federation should exert serious pressure on this government, using various methods, including sanctions, or the current political team should be completely removed from power." The fabricated appeal went even further, stating that the opposition had promised "any compromises" in exchange for Moscow's assistance.

However, the National Council quickly denied this statement, calling the publication an outright forgery. Independent analysts and opposition members criticized the newspaper for not verifying the authenticity of the letter before publishing it. "This is yet another example of how state-controlled media are used as weapons to discredit dissent," said Jamal Hasanly, chairman of the National Council and a historian familiar with the events at the time.

Although the letter published by Yeni Azerbaijan turned out to be false, the episode drew attention to a real appeal to President Putin during the 2013 election cycle. Rustam Ibragimbekov, a well-known screenwriter and the opposition's presidential candidate at the time, submitted a statement renouncing his Russian citizenship to meet the requirements for running in the Azerbaijani presidential elections. This statement was then supported by the National Council in the appeal to Putin.

Under Azerbaijani law, dual citizenship is prohibited from running for president. Ibragimbekov, widely regarded as a unifying figure for the fragmented opposition, officially approached the Kremlin requesting an expedited termination of his citizenship. Despite assurances that the process was underway, Moscow never fulfilled his request. Unable to meet the legal criteria, Ibragimbekov was ultimately disqualified from the elections.

"This was a deliberate delay," Hasanly stated. Critics compared Ibragimbekov's case to the much quicker processing of similar requests in subsequent years. Specifically, the Russian-Armenian billionaire Ruben Vardanyan, who took a leading role in the separatist administration in Karabakh in 2022, was stripped of his Russian citizenship with astonishing speed following his own appeal to Putin. The difference in processing times led to speculations about external influence in Ibragimbekov's case.

"The speed with which the Kremlin accommodated Vardanyan suggests that Putin could have expedited Ibragimbekov's request if he had wanted to," said a former diplomat who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "The question is, who in Baku could have asked Moscow to delay?"

Among the named individuals are influential figures in Azerbaijan's political elite, including Ramiz Mehdiyev, the former head of the President's Administration, and other high-ranking officials of that time. However, few believe that President Ilham Aliyev himself was involved, given his confidence in securing re-election. Aliyev ultimately won the 2013 elections, consolidating his power.

The scandal surrounding the fake Yeni Azerbaijan letter underscores broader concerns about press freedom and political accountability in Azerbaijan, where opposition figures often accuse the government of using state media as a tool for disinformation. While the incident may not significantly impact Aliyev's legacy, it highlights the dark intersection of domestic politics and regional power dynamics.

For many, the pressing question is not only whether Moscow intentionally delayed Ibragimbekov's request to renounce his citizenship but also why and on whose orders. "The answer lies somewhere in the corridors of power," Hasanly said. "But to find it, one would need to look beyond the headlines and into the shadows of Azerbaijan's political history."