Azerbaijan orders stronger safeguards for minors on social media

Azerbaijan’s Interior Minister Vilayat Eyvazov ordered stronger preventive measures to protect minors from the negative influence of social media, following a ministry board meeting reviewing first-quarter 2026 results.

The Interior Ministry said 7,738 crimes were registered in January-March, with a clearance rate of 85.9%, rising to 90.1% for cases handled jointly by the ministry and prosecutors.

The overall number of crimes fell 4.9% from a year earlier, the ministry said.

The ministry also reported declines in serious crimes, fraud, road accidents and offences involving minors.

More than 2.3 tonnes of narcotics were seized during the reporting period, it said.