What happened to Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg is gross violation of human rights

What happened to Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg, Russia, is a gross violation of human rights, Azerbaijani MP, member of the Human Rights Committee of the Milli Majlis, Nagif Hamzayev told Report.

Nagif Hamzayev noted that the incidents against ethnic Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg represent one of the most serious examples of escalating ethnic tensions and human rights violations in the region: "During operations carried out by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), two Azerbaijanis lost their lives, several were seriously injured, and 9 people were detained. These events raised serious questions not only in Azerbaijan-Russia bilateral relations but also regarding the security of ethnic minorities in the region. Disproportionate force was used during raids by FSB officers on homes of Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg. According to witness testimonies, one of the detainees was tortured with electric current. This demonstrates a gross violation of the fundamental principles of international law and human rights."

The MP added that Russian officials did not provide clear explanations about the cause and legal basis of the incidents, which increased suspicions about the illegal nature of the operations:

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan summoned the representative of the Russian Embassy in Baku and expressed strong protest. These events involve violations of several international legal norms: violation of the right to life, prohibition of torture, and fair trial, failure to ensure the rights and security of foreign citizens, and discriminatory approach toward ethnic minorities."

According to Hamzayev, the events in Yekaterinburg should not be evaluated as isolated individual crimes but in a broader political context:

"Systematic pressure against the Azerbaijani community in Russia has been increasing in recent years, creating serious problems in bilateral relations. Repressive operations against Azerbaijanis within Russia stem from several reasons. This is due to the intensification of geopolitical competition and redistribution of regional influence. Additionally, redirecting internal political tensions toward foreign targets and Russia's difficulty in recruiting soldiers for the war are among the main reasons."

He stated that the Yekaterinburg incidents brought the issue of ethnic minority security in the region to the forefront. Azerbaijan should apply a comprehensive approach to ensure the safety of both its citizens and the Azerbaijani community living in Russia: "These events once again proved the importance of diversification strategy in Azerbaijan's foreign policy. The development of multilateral diplomatic relations is essential to minimize the risks of relations based on single partnerships. To prevent such incidents in the future, the Azerbaijani state should focus on creating more effective mechanisms at both bilateral and multilateral levels. This requires not only reacting to specific incidents but also implementing a systematic approach that ensures the rights and security of its citizens in the long term," he emphasized.

On the morning of June 27, Russia's FSB raided homes of Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg. During the raid, 2 Azerbaijanis were killed and several people were detained. The killed Azerbaijanis are brothers of well-known Azerbaijani journalist Seyfaddin Huseynli.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan also issued a statement on June 28 regarding the FSB attacks on Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg.

Russia's chargé d'affaires was summoned to Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the incident in Yekaterinburg, and a strong protest was expressed.