Azerbaijan claims Russian regulation enforcement of murdering inmates
(MENAFN) Azerbaijan has accused Russian law enforcement of fatally beating two detainees following a raid on an alleged Azerbaijani criminal gang, escalating tensions between the two nations. Baku’s Prosecutor General’s Office announced on Tuesday that it had launched a criminal investigation into what it described as a double homicide. Azerbaijani officials reject Russia’s claim that one man died of heart failure and the other’s death remains unexplained, insisting both died from blunt force trauma according to medical examinations.
The deaths occurred after a Russian police operation in Yekaterinburg targeting members of an ethnic Azerbaijani gang, accused of extortion and a string of violent crimes against fellow Azerbaijanis since 2001. The deceased were identified as brothers Gusein and Zieddin Safarov. Their bodies were returned to Azerbaijan on Monday and quickly buried in their home village. Officials in Baku allege the brothers were deliberately murdered while in Russian custody.
Russian authorities reported that six other suspects, all Russian citizens, remain in detention and face further charges.
Azerbaijani media has portrayed the incident as part of a broader pattern of ethnic persecution by Russian law enforcement. In response, Baku has taken retaliatory steps, including canceling Russian cultural events and destroying 639 kilograms of Russian-imported onion rings over alleged contamination, which the Russian supplier disputes.
Additionally, Azerbaijani police raided the Baku office of Russian media outlet Sputnik, arresting two of its employees and a third journalist from another organization. In response, Moscow summoned Azerbaijan’s ambassador for an explanation.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described Azerbaijan’s reaction as “overly emotional” and expressed hope that direct talks would resolve the issue and lead to the journalists’ release.
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