On February 15 and 18, "Turan" Information Agency issued a statement regarding a defamatory article published on the "Day Az" website. The statement noted that the article attempted to portray the agency as being dependent on Western funding and subject to the interests of foreign entities.

"Turan" declared that it is the only independent news agency in the country that does not receive state funding and stated that the attacks directed at the agency were deliberately orchestrated.

The statement described the claims regarding grants allegedly received from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the European Endowment for Democracy (EED), and the "Mediazona" foundation as disinformation aimed at undermining the agency’s reputation.

"As an independent media organization, Turan operates solely within the framework of Azerbaijani legislation and in accordance with professional and ethical journalism principles. The figures and allegations presented in the article do not reflect the truth," the statement emphasized.

Referring to the Media Law, "Turan" demanded that "Day Az" ensure its right to reply and publish the statement on its website. The agency outlined its arguments against the accusations as follows:

1. "Turan" has never received funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The authors' claims that at least $2 million was allegedly transferred to the agency’s accounts between 2010 and 2020 are entirely false.

2. The allegation that the agency received large amounts of funding from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) between 2015 and 2023 to prepare "independent" reports on human rights and press freedom is also unfounded. "Turan" has never received financial support from NED and was not funded by this organization during the specified period.

3. The article claims that in 2024, "Turan" received 18,771 manats from the Delegation of the European Union to Azerbaijan. This allegation is baseless—"Turan" has received no such funds.

4. The authors further claim that "Turan" received 68,946 manats from the Czech Republic’s military attaché, disguising the payment under the term "subscription." No such payment exists. This is outright falsification.

5. The article alleges that in 2023, "Turan" had revenues exceeding 600,000 manats, with a significant portion coming from European embassies and foundations, including the European Endowment for Democracy (EED), USAID, and entities linked to Western intelligence services. This is slander. The agency’s revenue was significantly lower than the stated amount and was generated solely from the sale of informational products. "Turan" has received no funding from these entities.

6. The claim that the European Endowment for Democracy (EED) allocated 120,000 euros to the agency in 2022 for the preparation of analytical materials is entirely false. "EED" has never funded "Turan".

7. The article states that French entities have actively supported "Turan", specifically alleging that in 2021, the agency received 50,000 euros from the "Mediazona" foundation. This is yet another fabricated claim—"Turan" has never received funding from "Mediazona" or similar organizations.

The agency’s statement further noted that in a second article published by "Day Az" on February 18, "Turan"’s legally earned revenue from the sale of information services was misrepresented as "foreign funding."

"The article claims that between 2020 and 2024, Turan allegedly received 180,596 manats from abroad and presents this as evidence of foreign interference. In reality, however, this amount represents the agency’s lawful commercial revenue from the sale of news and analytical materials," the statement emphasized.

Declaring that the published accusations violate the Media Law, "Turan" warned that if its statement is not published on "Day Az" as part of its right to reply, it will take legal action to protect its reputation.