AZE.US
Azerbaijani political figure Ilgar Mammadov has accused a local media outlet of publishing a misleading headline after reporting the killing of a person who shares his name.
The article in question carried the headline “Ilgar Mammadov was killed,” referring to a private citizen with the same name.
According to Mammadov, the wording could have led readers to believe that the well-known public figure had been murdered.
In a statement posted on social media, Mammadov described the publication as a “moral provocation” and argued that journalistic standards generally avoid placing the name of a non-public individual in a headline unless the person is widely known.
“Presenting the killing of a namesake as if it concerns a publicly recognized figure is one of the tools of psychological warfare,” he wrote.
Mammadov also said he has faced what he described as ongoing moral pressure, recalling that he had previously been threatened with arrest through statements made by a member of parliament.
Although he stepped away from active public politics about a year and a half ago and is no longer seeking elected office, he claimed that certain actors remain uncomfortable with his public presence.
There has been no official response from the media outlet that published the headline.
The incident has sparked discussion online about editorial responsibility, headline framing and the potential impact of ambiguous wording in sensitive news reports.