Baku, July 2, AZERTAC

On July 2, a briefing was held at the administrative building of the Prosecutor General’s Office regarding the torture and deliberate killing with particular cruelty of Azerbaijani citizens and ethnic Azerbaijanis in the Russian Federation.

Nemat Avazov, Head of the Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office, stated that investigations were initiated by the Investigation Department based on media reports concerning the torture and killing of Azerbaijani citizens Huseyn and Ziyaddin Safarov during operational-search activities conducted by Russian law enforcement in Yekaterinburg: “Preliminary investigations established that on the morning of June 27, as a result of joint operational-search activities by the Sverdlovsk Region Administration of Russia’s National Guard, the Criminal Investigation Department of the Sverdlovsk Region Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Sverdlovsk Region Office of the Federal Security Service, Azerbaijani citizens residing at various addresses in Yekaterinburg were detained on suspicion of involvement in premeditated murders committed in Russia in previous periods. During these activities, detained Azerbaijani citizens and ethnic Azerbaijanis were subjected to severe injuries through multiple strikes with hard blunt objects to various parts of their bodies, resulting in torture.”

Avazov noted that Huseyn Safarov, born in 1966, who was in a helpless state with restricted freedom, died on June 27 at around 3:00 p.m. in an administrative building of the internal affairs agencies in Yekaterinburg due to multiple injuries. His brother, Ziyaddin Safarov, born in 1970, died in the morning hours while being transported in a service vehicle of the operational agencies due to injuries sustained: “On June 30, the bodies of the victims were brought to Baku, and forensic medical examinations were ordered to determine the cause of death. According to the expert opinions, Ziyaddin Safarov’s death was caused by post-traumatic shock resulting from multiple injuries, while Huseyn Safarov’s death was caused by post-traumatic and post-hemorrhagic shock from multiple injuries.”

The Head of the Investigation Department emphasized that, to date, no information or international requests regarding the initiation of a criminal case have been received from Russian authorities concerning the torture and deliberate killing of Azerbaijani citizens and ethnic Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg: “However, Russian authorities are obliged to investigate any case of death, especially if it occurs in a state agency’s building or vehicle during operational-search activities. Relevant examinations of the bodies have been conducted in Russia, indicating that investigations have begun there as well. When a person, regardless of language, religion, citizenship, or nationality, is tortured and killed by authorized state officials, it constitutes an especially grave crime. Preliminary evidence and proof have been collected by our investigators and sent to the relevant Russian authorities in accordance with the 2002 Convention’s requirements for international legal assistance. In this request, we have comprehensively asked our Russian counterparts to conduct investigative actions, provide materials, perform examinations, conduct inspections, issue inquiries, and collect documents. We will intensify our efforts through mutual contact with Russian authorities to ensure an objective investigation and to hold all guilty parties accountable. We hope these efforts will yield results, and those responsible will be held criminally accountable,” Avazov stressed.

Avazov also discussed the investigation into the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) civilian aircraft near Aktau on December 25, 2024. He noted that a criminal case has been initiated, and investigative measures are ongoing intensively: “Parallel investigations are being conducted by law enforcement in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. Approximately 100 expert examinations have been ordered, with most already completed. Recently, part of the expert group was sent to Kazakhstan for comprehensive discussions with relevant authorities. The process of collecting and finalizing examination results continues within the framework of cooperation between both countries’ institutions. Results are expected to be obtained and presented to the public soon.”

Ilgar Safarov, Senior Assistant to the Prosecutor General for Special Assignments, stated that Azerbaijan has no intention of interfering in another state’s internal affairs: “However, if one or more Azerbaijani citizens are subjected to particular cruelty, their rights are grossly violated, or they are killed with extreme brutality, it is the duty of the Azerbaijani state and its law enforcement to respond. Criminal acts against Azerbaijani citizens or state interests abroad are prosecuted under criminal law. If such individuals are not held accountable in partner states under agreements, we take necessary measures to ensure their accountability,” he emphasized.

Investigator Parviz Jalilov from the Investigation Department noted that, despite various illnesses cited in connection with the deaths of Huseyn and Ziyaddin Safarov, their bodies were brought to Azerbaijan for burial and submitted for examination: “The bodies were inspected with the participation of professional forensic medical experts and prosecutorial officials. The results, announced by Adalat Hasanov, Director General of the Ministry of Health’s Forensic Medical Examination and Anatomy Unit, revealed numerous injuries, displaced bone fractures, and internal organ damage during internal and external examinations. This confirms that the individuals were subjected to extensive physical violence during detention and transportation. The expert opinion states that both Safarov brothers died from post-traumatic and post-hemorrhagic shock resulting from multiple physical injuries.”

Samira Najafzade, Deputy Head of the International Legal Cooperation Department, highlighted that deliberate murder, torture, and inhumane treatment grossly violate international treaties: “Both Azerbaijan and Russia are parties to numerous international conventions, including the UN Convention Against Torture and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, whose requirements were violated in this incident. The European Convention on Human Rights is also relevant. Azerbaijan remains a party, while Russia was a member until 2022. Based on this convention, the rights of Azerbaijani citizens and ethnic Azerbaijanis in Russia have been violated,” Najafzade emphasized.

Journalists’ questions were also answered during the briefing.