The Azerbaijani government has revoked the correspondent accreditation of the Voice of America (VOA) in the country.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) confirmed the decision through its spokesperson, Aykhan Hajizada, in a statement to local media.
In addition to VOA’s accreditation, the MFA also announced the closure of the representative office of Rossiya Segodnya (Sputnik) in Azerbaijan.
Hajizada explained that only one accredited correspondent would be allowed from each organization moving forward.
Founded in 1942, Voice of America broadcasts in 43 languages across multiple platforms, including the internet, television, and radio. The Azerbaijani service of VOA has been active since 1952, though its broadcasts were previously limited to shortwave radio until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
In 2008, following a decree from President Ilham Aliyev, foreign broadcasters were removed from Azerbaijan’s local airwaves, forcing Voice of America to transition its broadcasts to the internet and satellite television.
Sputnik Azerbaijan, a division of Russia’s state-run Rossiya Segodnya news agency, began operating in Azerbaijan in May 2015. The service provided news in both Azerbaijani and Russian languages, covering local and international developments.
