Swedish Travel Club Involved in Authoritarian Propaganda

The Swedish travel club is involved in authoritarian propaganda, writes the Swedish newspaper Blankspot. From May 10 to 14, approximately 25 members of the Swedish club traveled to Azerbaijan and parts of Nagorno-Karabakh occupied by Azerbaijan after the 2020 war, under state sponsorship.

The media attempted to interview group members about their trip, but they urged to contact their leader instead. He also declined to answer questions regarding the tours from an ethnic perspective, stating that the club has never dictated where to go, and that these are entirely individual choices. He additionally noted that he refuses further communication.

None of the participants agreed to speak publicly, even though they were quite talkative in front of Azerbaijani media.

Blankspot has previously reported on Azerbaijan's paid journeys. The organization 'Reporters Without Borders' has included Azerbaijan on its list of 30 countries where media freedom is virtually non-existent. In other words, the relationship between Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry and media outlets is hardly altruistic.

This time, it is noteworthy that the trip was intended for tourists.