Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include a public apology from Turkish columnist Celal Çiftçi.

Azerbaijan has launched a criminal case over alleged calls to seize power by force and incite religious hatred, declaring Turkish columnist Celal Çiftçi internationally wanted.

The video comes amid rising tensions between Azerbaijan and Turkey, following a public exchange of criticism between officials and political figures in both countries. The dispute has also spilled onto social media, with comments on Azerbaijan’s domestic policies, including restrictions on hijab-wearing in schools, becoming part of the broader debate.

The Prosecutor General’s Office said on 16 October that the case followed the circulation of social media posts allegedly promoting religious radicalism, a coup, and the forcible alteration of Azerbaijan’s constitutional order. Çiftçi, a columnist for the Turkish newspaper Şanlıurfa Olay, has been charged in the case, according to the office.

According to a statement issued by the office’s press service, the investigation followed reports concerning material shared on social media by various individuals, including Çiftçi, a Turkish citizen born in 1975 who writes for the Şanlıurfa Olay newspaper. The material allegedly called for the forcible seizure of power in Azerbaijan and incited religious hatred and enmity through violence.

While it was not specified what he said, it apparently is in response to an AI-generated video of soldiers knocking down a photo of President Ilham Aliyev.

OC Media could not find any posts matching this description still live on his X or Facebook posts.

Çiftçi has previously criticised Aliyev over the ban on hijabs in schools.

The Prosecutor General’s Office said its investigation had identified the repeated dissemination of content promoting religious radicalism following a 21 September 2026 decision by Azerbaijan’s Cabinet of Ministers, including material generated using artificial intelligence. It also reported repeated calls published under various headings that allegedly encouraged a coup, the forcible seizure of power, changes to the constitutional order, and the incitement of religious hatred and enmity through violence.

Based on the collected evidence, the Prosecutor General opened a criminal case on 16 October under provisions of Azerbaijan’s criminal code relating to repeated public calls for the forcible seizure of power or the violent alteration of the constitutional order, as well as the preparation, possession, and dissemination of material calling for, justifying, or advocating religious extremist activity and the incitement of religious hatred and enmity through violence on the grounds of religious hostility, radicalism, and fanaticism.

The investigation has been assigned to the Investigative Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office.

The office said Çiftçi had been charged as a suspect in the case and declared internationally wanted. Requests for international legal assistance have been sent to the competent authorities in Turkey to facilitate investigative procedures concerning Çiftçi and other individuals. Further measures are also being taken through international cooperation mechanisms, the statement added.

The Prosecutor General’s Office said investigative measures were continuing to establish the content of the material, the circumstances in which it was produced and distributed, and other relevant facts before determining the legal implications and making decisions in accordance with the law.

The office also called on the public to refrain from sharing content that promotes religious hatred and enmity, use social media responsibly, and comply with the law, citing the need to protect religious tolerance, mutual respect, and social solidarity.

On Friday evening, Çiftçi issued a public apology, saying he had ‘no intention of creating religious hatred, hostility, or discrimination’, and did not mean for his post to be construed as calling for a coup.

‘I do not accept the accusations leveled against me in this regard’, he said, adding, ‘Azerbaijan is a brotherly state; the Azerbaijani people are our brothers. I have full respect for the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and constitutional order of the Republic of Azerbaijan’.

Çiftçi nonetheless reiterated his belief that ‘people should not be excluded because of their beliefs or clothing choices’, referring to the hijab ban.