Azernews.Az

Akbar Novruz

Read more

Azerbaijan has officially submitted all gathered evidence related to the torture and killing of two Azerbaijani citizens in Russia's Yekaterinburg region to the Russian Investigative Committee, according to the country’s Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev, Azernews reports via local media.

Speaking during his official visit to Ankara, Aliyev emphasized that despite Russia's classification of the victims as Russian citizens, Azerbaijan does not recognize dual citizenship, and thus treats them as its nationals.

“We have initiated a criminal case regarding the incidents in Yekaterinburg. Although the Russian side says that the victims are citizens of their country, since Azerbaijan does not recognize dual citizenship, they are our citizens,” he said.

Aliyev revealed that forensic examinations conducted in Azerbaijan confirmed that the victims died as a result of torture, beatings, and serious bodily injuries. The Prosecutor General’s Office has submitted the forensic results and other materials to Russia's Investigative Committee. “We hope there will be results from the criminal case opened on this issue,” he stated, noting that Russia had assured Azerbaijan of conducting a separate investigation into the facts of violence.

The case centers on a raid carried out by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) on June 27, targeting homes of Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg. Two individuals were killed and several others were injured during the operation. The deceased were the brothers of prominent Azerbaijani journalist Seyfaddin Huseynli and were buried in Agjabedi on July 1.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has issued multiple strong statements demanding full transparency and justice. The Russian Chargé d'Affaires and Ambassador in Baku were summoned to the ministry and formally presented with a protest over the incident.

In parallel with Russia’s investigation, the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s Office has launched its own criminal case under Article 7 of the Criminal Code, which includes charges such as murder committed with special cruelty, abuse of authority, and multiple homicides. An investigative group has been created to carry out preliminary investigations.

Azerbaijan continues to press for accountability, stressing that the gravity of the crime and the nationality of the victims require serious action from Russian authorities.