Reported responses to mass detention, torture and other diseases, dozens of members of the Russian Azerbaijani diaspora and Russian nationals in Azerbaijan, which led to two ethnic Asserians in Russia’s Yekaterinburg, Marie Struthers, Marie Struthers, Marie International toer Eastern Europe and Eastern Asia says, Spice of Eastertan says, Asey says say says say says:
“The authorities in Russia and Azerbaijan show that they have completely ignored human dignity and open contempt for human rights obligations. Torture and other ill-treatment are absolutely prohibited under international law, and there is no reason. This seems nothing more than a tit tit police action targeting the tat police action based on its race and ethnicity.”
“Due to due process and respect for human rights in detention must outweigh the political tensions between the states. The Russian and Azerbaijani authorities must promptly, thoroughly, independently, and impartially investigate allegations of illegal killing, torture and other ill-treatment and other ill-treatment and those who bring justice to the person in charge.”
Both Russia and Azerbaijan authorities completely ignore human dignity and openly despise their human rights obligations
Marie Struthers, Director of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Amnesty International
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On June 27, Russian law enforcement conducted mass detentions of about 50 Aserian ethnic groups in Jekaterinburg, including Russian and Azerbaijani nationals, reportedly investigating the killings of 2001 and other past crimes. Six people were charged and placed in pretrial custody, while others were released after questioning.
According to one of the survivors, all the detained people were beaten: they were hit on the floor, hit by a chair and tortured with electric shock for about an hour. Several people were hospitalized, and two Ziyaddin brothers and Guseyn Safarov brothers died in custody. Azerbaijani authorities claim that the brothers holding Russian passports died from torture and multiple injuries caused during Russian detention. Russian authorities viewed heart failure as the cause of death for one of the brothers and said they are clarifying the cause of death for the other. In cases of alleged torture and other ill-treatment, authorities often regard heart failure as the cause of death in Russian detention.
Between June 30 and July 1, Azerbaijani authorities detained at least eight Russian nationals in Baku in what appeared to be retaliation, allegations ranging from spies to drug trafficking to computer hackers. These included two journalists – Igor Kartavykh and Evgeny Belousov, who were detained in an attack on a raided Russian media outlet operated by a state, a Russian media deprived of certified by Azerbaijani authorities earlier. Others include IT experts who left Russia after being fully invaded by Ukraine in 2022, with at least one reportedly visiting Azerbaijan as a tourist. Photos from Azerbaijan’s law enforcement channels and courts showed videos and photos taken in court by Russian detainees at the remand hearings showed Russian detainees having obvious facial bruises and head injuries.
