Analyst: Azerbaijani media fuel anti-Armenian sentiments over Stepanakert incident

Azerbaijani media outlets have stirred anti-Armenian sentiments in their coverage of a recent incident in Stepanakert, giving the impression of a “cannibalistic society”, political analyst Ara Poghosyan said on Monday.

According to Azerbaijani reports, a man identified as Karen Avanesyan was allegedly spotted near an official event venue in Stepanakert attended by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The outlets claimed Avanesyan was armed with an assault rifle and grenades, and that he was injured and “detained” during an exchange of fire in which Azerbaijani personnel were also wounded.

Poghosyan, however, questioned the credibility of the narrative, describing the reports as “very murky.” In a social media post, he suggested the possibility of a staged incident:

“Personally, I do not rule out a show orchestrated for some purpose. In any case, time will tell," the analyst wrote.