According to the statement, the commission has concerns about the so-called “investigation” conducted by Global Witness and amplified in the media with BBC support.
The statement highlights that the aim of Global Witness’s publications, in which COP29 Executive Director Elnur Soltanov is mentioned, is to mislead the international community and discredit the upcoming climate conference in Baku.
“The commission, in collaboration with relevant authorities, conducted an investigation. It was confirmed that on September 13 this year, Elnur Soltanov held a Zoom meeting with an individual claiming to be Steven Lee, a representative of a Hong Kong-based company. Soltanov was not informed that the meeting was being recorded by the other party.
Furthermore, Global Witness employed methods inconsistent with the generally accepted principles of NGO operations, resembling intelligence agency tactics, which carry legal consequences,” the statement reads.
The commission noted that Global Witness used illegal cyber-fraud techniques, creating a fake company “EC Capital Holdings,” along with its website (www.eccapitalholdings.com) and a false LinkedIn profile for Steven Lee. By exploiting the trust of certain officials and making contact with the COP29 team, Global Witness became part of a coordinated operation and disinformation campaign against Azerbaijan ahead of COP29.
The statement also points out that Global Witness received media support from the British BBC, which published an article titled “COP29 Executive Director Caught on Camera Promoting Fossil Fuel Deals.”
“The article openly states that Global Witness recorded the meeting secretly. However, contrary to the principles of unbiased journalism, the publication released only partial footage, amounting to media manipulation. The Commission on Counteracting External Interference and Hybrid Threats views the actions of Global Witness and the BBC as a hybrid attack and intends to approach relevant state authorities for a deeper investigation into the incident,” the statement concludes.
