Azerbaijan Launches Investigation into Brutal Deaths of Brothers in Russian Custody Amid Rising Diplomatic Tensions

On Tuesday, Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor General’s Office initiated a criminal investigation into what they described as the “cruel and intentional murder” of two Azerbaijani nationals during a police operation in Russia. This move followed the autopsy findings which indicated that the victims passed away due to severe injuries sustained while in custody.

The deceased were identified as brothers Ziyaddin Safarov, 55, and Huseyn Safarov, 60, who were among 50 individuals detained last Friday in Yekaterinburg.

According to Russian investigators, six ethnic Azerbaijani men holding Russian citizenship — four of whom share the surname Safarov — were apprehended in connection with murders dating back to the early 2000s. They reported that one individual experienced a heart attack during the raid, while the circumstances surrounding the second death are still being investigated.

The bodies of the Safarov brothers were transported to Baku on Monday for examination later that evening. Azerbaijani prosecutors revealed that autopsy results indicated the cause of death was significant blood loss and shock resulting from serious physical injuries, which included fractured ribs and internal damage.

“A criminal case has been initiated regarding the torture and brutal killings of Azerbaijani citizens and individuals of Azerbaijani descent within the Russian Federation,” the Prosecutor General’s Office stated in an official announcement.

According to Adalat Hasanov, Azerbaijan’s chief medical examiner, “Neither brother was killed by a sharp instrument or firearm. They sustained injuries from a blunt object.”

This incident has triggered a diplomatic conflict between Moscow and Baku, leading Azerbaijan to cancel visits from Russian officials and halt cultural events associated with Russia. Furthermore, Azerbaijani law enforcement apprehended and charged at least two employees from Russian state media.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry announced that they summoned Azerbaijan’s ambassador regarding what they termed the “unlawful detention of Russian journalists.”

On Tuesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov informed reporters that Moscow was “carefully monitoring” the situation regarding the detention of Russian state media employees, reportedly including two editors from Sputnik Azerbaijan.

“We are optimistic that direct negotiations with the Azerbaijani side will facilitate the prompt release [of the journalists],” Peskov remarked. He also noted that the actions taken against media representatives are fundamentally inconsistent with widely recognized norms and standards, as well as the essence of Russian-Azerbaijani relations.

Peskov characterized Baku’s response as “extremely emotional” and expressed hope that dialogue with Azerbaijani officials would help mitigate tensions between the two nations.

Later on Tuesday, Azerbaijani news agency Report, citing unnamed sources, claimed that law enforcement in the South Caucasus nation arrested members of two Russian “organized criminal groups” alleged to be involved in cybercrime and drug trafficking from Iran.

While there was no immediate confirmation from authorities regarding these arrests, local media shared photos and videos purportedly showing law enforcement agents in Azerbaijan escorting a group of Russian men into a police vehicle.

Moscow has yet to respond to the reports of these arrests.