Azerbaijan authorities have detained a citizen, identified as F.S., in connection with an alleged blackmail attempt targeting the family of President Ilham Aliyev. The State Security Service reported this operation followed reports of an attempt to extort €5 million from the family in exchange for suppressing intimate material involving Alena Aliyeva, the wife of President Aliyev’s son, Heydar Aliyev. A video broadcast by İctimai TV indicated a foreign individual attempted to contact officials using international communication channels.
A criminal case has been opened, and F.S. admitted guilt during the investigation, providing details that remain undisclosed. The investigation also encompasses accusations against bloggers living abroad, including Mehman Huseynov, Emin Huseynov, and Gabil Mammadov, who are alleged to have disseminated “defamatory information” about Alena Aliyeva.
Authorities claim these bloggers received video footage from unidentified sources and, in one livestream, Mehman Huseynov presented “edited video materials.” Huseynov, a known critic of the authorities and currently living in exile, has published numerous videos addressing the situation, often expressing critical views of Alena Aliyeva’s past and alleged privileges. Official sources describe these publications, including the purported intimate materials linked to Alena Aliyeva, as “defamation” and part of a “smear campaign.” The State Security Service asserts that the detained individual’s phone contained images sourced from adult websites, featuring a person known as Amber Lulu, not Alena Aliyeva. This suggests a deliberate fabrication to mislead public opinion.
The case highlights concerns regarding new media technologies, such as face-swapping and deepfakes, and their potential for misuse in blackmail and disinformation campaigns within azerbaijan. The situation is further complicated by ongoing legal proceedings against these bloggers in absentia, based on accusations of inciting unrest and calling for violent action against the state. The investigation also touches upon a broader network involving tankers linked to azerbaijan and sanctions evasion, with attention focused on Mehman Huseynov’s YouTube channel and his ongoing coverage of the blackmail allegations and the president’s family.
Topics: #azerbaijan #blackmail #president
