Azerbaijani campaign against ANCA revealed, involving Armenian MP

(Horizon Weekly) – A lobbying and public relations campaign targeting the Armenian National Committee of America has been uncovered following the leak of a letter sent by a London-based communications firm to U.S. media outlets, offering journalists “non-public discussions” aimed at discrediting the Armenian-American advocacy organization.

The letter, dated March 2, 2026 and sent by Apollo Strategic Communications, proposed arranging background briefings for American reporters that would allegedly provide information critical of the ANCA. According to the ANCA, the content of the proposed briefings closely mirrors long-standing anti–Hay Dat narratives promoted by Azerbaijani lobbying efforts.

Research cited by the ANCA indicates that Apollo’s parent company, RSK Group, owns a subsidiary called Azerbaijan Environment and Technology Centre Ltd, which reportedly carries out major projects in Azerbaijan, particularly in the Caspian region. The firm itself has operated under several names since its establishment in 2009, including Red Public Relations Limited and Apollo Public Relations Limited.

The leaked correspondence also suggested that American journalists could be connected with several individuals who would provide critical commentary about the ANCA. Among those listed were an anonymous staff member of the Congressional Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, Armenian historian Nzhdeh Hovsepyan, Carnegie Endowment visiting fellow Garo Paylan, and Maria Karapetyan, a member of the ruling Civil Contract faction in Armenia’s National Assembly.

Following the leak, Paylan publicly rejected any involvement in the campaign. In a post on X, he stated that messages had been sent to journalists in his name without authorization.

Shortly after the revelations became public, Apollo Strategic Communications reportedly closed its X account and removed references to Daniel Blake-Martin, the employee who had signed the letter, from its staff listings.

In response, the Armenian National Committee of America has demanded clarification from Apollo Strategic Communications regarding the origins of the campaign. Specifically, the organization has asked who hired the firm to conduct the outreach, how much compensation was paid, and why the company did not register under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act if it was acting on behalf of a foreign client.

The ANCA also called for explanations regarding how Armenian citizens—including Maria Karapetyan, Nzhdeh Hovsepyan and Karo Paylan—became connected to what it described as a covert effort to undermine Armenian-American advocacy.

Finally, the organization has requested further transparency about the relationship between RSK Group, Azerbaijani government-linked interests, the Aliyev family, and energy companies operating in the Caspian region.

The revelations have sparked renewed concerns within Armenian advocacy circles about coordinated lobbying and influence campaigns targeting diaspora institutions in the United States.