BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 30. Recent events in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg have caused serious concern in Azerbaijan, political analyst Azer Garayev told Trend.
According to him, the mass detention of Azerbaijani citizens, inhumane treatment, the use of brutal force by law enforcement agencies, and, in some cases, reports of deaths have sparked public outrage.
"Facts indicate that the detained Azerbaijanis have been subjected to brutal torture by Russian special services. The visible signs on those brought before the “court—“bruised faces, swollen eyes”—speak ”for themselves. Several Azerbaijanis have reportedly died as a result of torture. The details of the incident have neither been confirmed nor denied by Russian officials. Silence, in fact, is just a different form of admission.
Strategic partnership relations have been established between Azerbaijan and Russia for many years. Cooperation agreements in the political, economic, and humanitarian spheres have been signed between the two countries, and there is ongoing communication between the heads of state. However, recent events show that this partnership is being applied one-sidedly and is not reflected in the real behavior of Russian official circles. If the principles of trust and respect are fundamental in relations between two states, then why are Azerbaijani citizens being persecuted, beaten, and killed in Russia based on their ethnicity?
Why do Russian official bodies remain silent amid such widespread human rights violations? What happened in Yekaterinburg is not just a legal issue but also a political one. The treatment of Azerbaijanis demonstrates a rise in nationalist attitudes and discrimination within Russia. This is not just against Azerbaijanis but signals increasing aggression toward all non-Russian ethnicities. Although several days have passed since the incidents, Russian officials have yet to hold anyone accountable for the torture-related deaths of Azerbaijanis. On the contrary, the Russian side continues to issue absurd justifications.
According to them, one of the deceased allegedly died of a heart attack, while the cause of death of another is said to be under investigation. However, the injuries visible on the faces of surviving Azerbaijanis brought before the court clearly show that they have been subjected to inhumane treatment, beaten, and tortured. As always, the Russian side is attempting to cover up the matter," he said.
Garayev noted that Russia's attempt to avoid responsibility is nothing new—they always try to do this.
"You don’t have to look far. At the end of last year, a passenger plane belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines was shot down over Grozny and crashed in Aktau, resulting in dozens of deaths. No explanation or apology has been provided so far. The Russian side remains silent. The Kremlin holds no one accountable. Yet this is a very serious incident and cannot simply be ignored. The people and government of Azerbaijan demand answers, accountability, and an official apology for the downing of the plane, but as I said, Russia, as always, tries to avoid responsibility and remains silent. No one is punished, and no apology is issued," he explained.
The analyst also emphasized that recent cyberattacks targeting Azerbaijani news portals and government websites have also been traced back to Russia.
"Experts report that these attacks were carried out in a coordinated manner and that technical traces lead back to Russian servers. The targets were state information systems, news agencies, and platforms that shape public opinion. This is a manifestation of information warfare, and behind it lies not friendly, but hostile intent. Following this, the fact that MP Azer Badamov was denied entry to Russia came to light.
Moscow did not provide any explanation for this. Yet such behavior contradicts the principles of friendship and partnership. All of these elements—physical persecution, torture, death, cyberattacks, and diplomatic pressure — show that Russia applies double standards in its relations with Azerbaijan and acts from a nationalist standpoint. In these relations, Azerbaijan fulfills all its obligations as an exemplary state, but Russia shirks its responsibilities," Garayev mentioned.
According to him, despite this aggression, the attitude toward Russians living in Azerbaijani society remains exemplary. Azerbaijan is a multiethnic state, and the Russian community there feels safe and comfortable. Representatives of the Russian community have confirmed this, and even condemned the recent events in Yekaterinburg involving Azerbaijanis, calling for those responsible to be held accountable.
"There are dozens of Russian schools operating in Azerbaijan, Russian departments in universities, and newspapers and TV channels broadcasting in Russian. Russian tourists and businesspeople operate freely in Azerbaijan without facing any discrimination. Russian citizens buy property, start businesses, build families, and live comfortably here. For many years, the Azerbaijani state has elevated multiculturalism to the level of state policy.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly stated that all nationalities and religions in Azerbaijan enjoy equal rights and that there is no discrimination among them. Against this reality, the violence perpetrated against Azerbaijanis in Russia appears even more painful. The question arises: if there is no pressure against Russians in Azerbaijan, why is there such aggressive behavior toward Azerbaijanis in Russia? One answer comes to mind — nationalism," he mentioned.
The analyst pointed out that coercive interrogation techniques and violations of human dignity constitute some of the most egregious offenses within the framework of international jurisprudence.
"Every state must ensure the safety of foreign citizens and its own citizens of different ethnic backgrounds within its territory. Russia, however, is not fulfilling this responsibility. On the contrary, legal violations occur with the participation of state structures, and no responsible person is held accountable. I believe that official Baku should adopt a firmer and more principled stance in its relations with Russia, taking these facts into account. Serious public protest has already started to form in Azerbaijani society against these incidents.
The issue is being widely discussed on social media, in the media, and in public debates. People are voicing their positions and criticizing the silence and violence of the Russian side. The recent events in Russia against Azerbaijanis are not only a legal issue but also a moral and political problem. This has seriously undermined trust between the two states. Friendship and partnership should not exist only on paper but must be reflected in real actions. Otherwise, these relations will consist only of formal statements," Garayev added.
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