Latest news with #SputnikAzerbaijan
Russia Today
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Baku blocking consular access to jailed Russians
Azerbaijan has not granted the Russian citizens recently arrested in Baku access to consular services, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said. A Baku court jailed at least ten Russian nationals on Tuesday for four months pending trial. Two senior journalists from the Sputnik Azerbaijan news agency, as well as at least eight other Russians, have been behind bars in the country since Monday. Moscow has slammed the arrests as 'unlawful,' and has demanded the Russians' immediate release. 'We have requested that employees of the embassy's consular department be allowed to visit the Russian citizens,' but access has so far 'not been granted,' Zakharova said in a press briefing on Wednesday. She demanded that 'those who want to spoil bilateral relations' cease attempts to further escalate the situation. A number of Azerbaijani news outlets have been spreading 'fake news,' she added. 'These steps cause serious damage to interstate relations,' the spokeswoman said. Earlier Azerbaijani reports about the possible closure of Russian-language schools in the country had been denied by Baku's Education Ministry, Zakharova added. Bilateral relations between Moscow and Baku have been strained as of late. The diplomatic downturn was sparked by a police raid in Russia's Yekaterinburg last week, which targeted an alleged ethnic crime ring composed of Russian nationals of Azerbaijani origin. It was part of an investigation into a series of murders dating back as far as 2001. Two elderly suspects died during the operation, at least one of whom suffered heart failure, according to preliminary information. The incident spurred outrage in Azerbaijani media and among local officials, who have accused Moscow of ethnic bias. Five of the six men arrested have been charged, after one turned state's evidence, Russian authorities reported on Wednesday. Top law enforcement officials from both sides are in direct discussions, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a briefing on Wednesday. When asked to comment on recent video reports that appeared to show bruises and traces of blood on a number of the Russian nationals detained in Azerbaijan, Peskov noted that Moscow had seen the footage and 'noted every detail.' Russia will 'defend the legitimate interests' of its citizens, and will 'use all available means' to that end, he said. The Russian embassy in Baku has confirmed that Russians in Azerbaijan have increasingly complained that they and their families have been subjected to violence.
12 hours ago
- Politics
Azerbaijan detains 7 linked to a Russian media outlet as a rift between Baku and Moscow deepens
BAKU, Azerbaijan -- Seven people linked to a Kremlin-funded media outlet in Azerbaijan's capital have been detained after a raid on its office, the Interior Ministry was quoted by local media as saying Tuesday, in the latest sign of the rift between Moscow and Baku over the deaths of two ethnic Azerbaijanis in Russian custody. Tensions have been growing since December, when an Azerbaijani passenger jet was attacked as it approached Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, It later crashed, killing 38 of 67 people aboard, and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev blamed Moscow and said Russian President Vladimir Putin had tried to 'hush up' what happened. On Monday, masked police stormed the offices of Sputnik Azerbaijan. The Interior Ministry said the Kremlin-backed media outlet had continued operating via 'illegal financing,' despite having its accreditation revoked in February. Detained in the raid were Sputnik Azerbaijan's editor-in-chief Yevgeny Belousov, and editorial board director Igor Kartavykh. Five others linked to the media outlet also were detained and under investigation for alleged fraud, illegal entrepreneurship and acquiring property by criminal means. Belousov and Kartavykh were charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, which carries a maximum prison sentence of up to 12 years. They also were charged with conspiracy to launder funds or other property, and conspiracy to carry out an illegal enterprise. Both were arrested and ordered held for at least four months in pre-trial detention. Sputnik's parent company, Rossiya Segodnya, said Tuesday it was 'deeply concerned' by the raid and that Azerbaijani staff members were among those detained. Diplomats from the Russian Consulate have not been grated access to its citizens who were detained, it said, and that Kartavykh's apartment had been searched and computer equipment seized. 'All these actions have no basis and have led to the blocking of Sputnik Azerbaijan,' the statement said. 'We call on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately resolve this unacceptable situation and release our colleagues.' The Kremlin also called for their release. 'Such measures against members of the media are absolutely not in line with generally accepted rules and norms and, of course, do not match the spirit and nature of Russian-Azerbaijani relations,' spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday. The detentions followed Russian police raids Friday on the homes of ethnic Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg, Russia, as part of an investigation into a number of killings dating back decades. Two brothers, Ziyaddin and Huseyn Safarov, died while in police custody and several others were seriously injured in the raids, officials said, with nine people detained. Sayfaddin Huseynli, a brother of the two dead Azerbaijanis, told The Associated Press the raids were 'an inhumane, cruel act by Russia against migrants — an act of intimidation.' Migrants from Muslim-majority countries that once were part of the Soviet Union frequently complain of discrimination at the hands of Russians. On Tuesday, the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan said it would launch a criminal investigation into the two deaths. It said Azerbaijani citizens and others of Azerbaijani descent who were 'practically helpless and unable to defend themselves,' were subjected to beatings and other physical abuse by Russian officials. It attributed the deaths of 60-year-old Huseyn Safarov and 55-year-old Ziyaddin Safarov to 'post-traumatic shock caused by multiple injuries.' Huseyn had also suffered post-hemorrhagic shock, it said. Russia's Investigative Committee said Monday that one of the deaths had been caused by heart failure. It did not provide details on the second victim, but said a medical examination would be conducted to determine the cause of death for both. Azerbaijan protested the deaths by canceling a scheduled trip to Moscow by government officials, citing the 'targeted extrajudicial killings and violence against Azerbaijanis on the basis of their nationality' by Russian law enforcement. It also called off a visit to Baku by a Russian deputy prime minister, and the Culture Ministry canceled concerts, exhibitions and other events by Russian state and private institutions. Ties between Moscow and Baku have been strained since the December crash of an Azerbaijani passenger jet. The plane eventually crashed as it tried to land in nearby Kazakhstan. Aliyev said it was attacked over Russia, albeit unintentionally, and rendered uncontrollable by electronic warfare measures amid allegations that Russian air defense systems were trying to fend off a Ukrainian drone strike near Grozny. Putin apologized to Aliyev for what he called a 'tragic incident' but stopped short of acknowledging responsibility. In May, Aliyev declined to attend Russia's Victory Day parade in Moscow. Later that month, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha visited Azerbaijan, signaling closer ties between Baku and Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Aliyev to express his condolences on the two deaths in Yekaterinburg, Azerbaijan's presidential press service said.
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Azerbaijan detains 7 linked to a Russian media outlet as a rift between Baku and Moscow deepens
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Seven people linked to a Kremlin-funded media outlet in Azerbaijan's capital have been detained after a raid on its office, the country's Interior Ministry said Tuesday, in the latest sign of the rift between Moscow and Baku over the deaths of two ethnic Azerbaijanis in Russian custody. Tensions have been growing since December, when an Azerbaijani passenger jet was attacked as it approached Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, It later crashed, killing 38 of 67 people aboard, and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev blamed Moscow and said Russian President Vladimir Putin had tried to 'hush up' what happened. On Monday, masked police stormed the offices of Sputnik Azerbaijan. The Interior Ministry said the Kremlin-backed media outlet had continued operating via 'illegal financing,' despite having its accreditation revoked in February. Detained in the raid were Sputnik Azerbaijan's editor-in-chief Yevgeny Belousov, and editorial board director Igor Kartavykh. Five others linked to the media outlet also were detained and under investigation for alleged fraud, illegal entrepreneurship and acquiring property by criminal means. 2 Russians ordered held for up to 4 months in Azerbaijan Belousov and Kartavykh were charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, which carries a maximum prison sentence of up to 12 years. They also were charged with conspiracy to launder funds or other property, and conspiracy to carry out an illegal enterprise. Both were arrested and ordered held for at least four months in pre-trial detention. Sputnik's parent company, Rossiya Segodnya, said Tuesday it was 'deeply concerned' by the raid and that Azerbaijani staff members were among those detained. Diplomats from the Russian Consulate have not been grated access to its citizens who were detained, it said, and that Kartavykh's apartment had been searched and computer equipment seized. 'All these actions have no basis and have led to the blocking of Sputnik Azerbaijan,' the statement said. 'We call on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately resolve this unacceptable situation and release our colleagues.' The Kremlin also called for their release. 'Such measures against members of the media are absolutely not in line with generally accepted rules and norms and, of course, do not match the spirit and nature of Russian-Azerbaijani relations,' spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday. A police raid in Yekaterinburg, Russia The detentions followed Russian police raids Friday on the homes of ethnic Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg, Russia, as part of an investigation into a number of killings dating back decades. Two brothers, Ziyaddin and Huseyn Safarov, died while in police custody and several others were seriously injured in the raids, officials said, with nine people detained. Sayfaddin Huseynli, a brother of the two dead Azerbaijanis, told The Associated Press the raids were 'an inhumane, cruel act by Russia against migrants — an act of intimidation.' Migrants from Muslim-majority countries that once were part of the Soviet Union frequently complain of discrimination at the hands of Russians. On Tuesday, the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan said it would launch a criminal investigation into the two deaths. It said Azerbaijani citizens and others of Azerbaijani descent who were 'practically helpless and unable to defend themselves,' were subjected to beatings and other physical abuse by Russian officials. It attributed the deaths of 60-year-old Huseyn Safarov and 55-year-old Ziyaddin Safarov to 'post-traumatic shock caused by multiple injuries.' Huseyn had also suffered post-hemorrhagic shock, it said. Russia's Investigative Committee said Monday that one of the deaths had been caused by heart failure. It did not provide details on the second victim, but said a medical examination would be conducted to determine the cause of death for both. Azerbaijan protests the deaths in custody Azerbaijan protested the deaths by canceling a scheduled trip to Moscow by government officials, citing the 'targeted extrajudicial killings and violence against Azerbaijanis on the basis of their nationality' by Russian law enforcement. It also called off a visit to Baku by a Russian deputy prime minister, and the Culture Ministry canceled concerts, exhibitions and other events by Russian state and private institutions. Ties between Moscow and Baku have been strained since the December crash of an Azerbaijani passenger jet. The plane eventually crashed as it tried to land in nearby Kazakhstan. Aliyev said it was attacked over Russia, albeit unintentionally, and rendered uncontrollable by electronic warfare measures amid allegations that Russian air defense systems were trying to fend off a Ukrainian drone strike near Grozny. Putin apologized to Aliyev for what he called a 'tragic incident' but stopped short of acknowledging responsibility. In May, Aliyev declined to attend Russia's Victory Day parade in Moscow. Later that month, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha visited Azerbaijan, signaling closer ties between Baku and Kyiv.
The Hill
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Azerbaijan detains 7 linked to a Russian media outlet as a rift between Baku and Moscow deepens
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Seven people linked to a Kremlin-funded media outlet in Azerbaijan's capital have been detained after a raid on its office, the country's Interior Ministry said Tuesday, in the latest sign of the rift between Moscow and Baku over the deaths of two ethnic Azerbaijanis in Russian custody. Tensions have been growing since December, when an Azerbaijani passenger jet was attacked as it approached Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, It later crashed, killing 38 of 67 people aboard, and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev blamed Moscow and said Russian President Vladimir Putin had tried to 'hush up' what happened. On Monday, masked police stormed the offices of Sputnik Azerbaijan. The Interior Ministry said the Kremlin-backed media outlet had continued operating via 'illegal financing,' despite having its accreditation revoked in February. Detained in the raid were Sputnik Azerbaijan's editor-in-chief Yevgeny Belousov, and editorial board director Igor Kartavykh. Five others linked to the media outlet also were detained and under investigation for alleged fraud, illegal entrepreneurship and acquiring property by criminal means. Belousov and Kartavykh were charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, which carries a maximum prison sentence of up to 12 years. They also were charged with conspiracy to launder funds or other property, and conspiracy to carry out an illegal enterprise. Both were arrested and ordered held for at least four months in pre-trial detention. Sputnik's parent company, Rossiya Segodnya, said Tuesday it was 'deeply concerned' by the raid and that Azerbaijani staff members were among those detained. Diplomats from the Russian Consulate have not been grated access to its citizens who were detained, it said, and that Kartavykh's apartment had been searched and computer equipment seized. 'All these actions have no basis and have led to the blocking of Sputnik Azerbaijan,' the statement said. 'We call on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately resolve this unacceptable situation and release our colleagues.' The Kremlin also called for their release. 'Such measures against members of the media are absolutely not in line with generally accepted rules and norms and, of course, do not match the spirit and nature of Russian-Azerbaijani relations,' spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday. The detentions followed Russian police raids Friday on the homes of ethnic Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg, Russia, as part of an investigation into a number of killings dating back decades. Two brothers, Ziyaddin and Huseyn Safarov, died while in police custody and several others were seriously injured in the raids, officials said, with nine people detained. Sayfaddin Huseynli, a brother of the two dead Azerbaijanis, told The Associated Press the raids were 'an inhumane, cruel act by Russia against migrants — an act of intimidation.' Migrants from Muslim-majority countries that once were part of the Soviet Union frequently complain of discrimination at the hands of Russians. On Tuesday, the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan said it would launch a criminal investigation into the two deaths. It said Azerbaijani citizens and others of Azerbaijani descent who were 'practically helpless and unable to defend themselves,' were subjected to beatings and other physical abuse by Russian officials. It attributed the deaths of 60-year-old Huseyn Safarov and 55-year-old Ziyaddin Safarov to 'post-traumatic shock caused by multiple injuries.' Huseyn had also suffered post-hemorrhagic shock, it said. Russia's Investigative Committee said Monday that one of the deaths had been caused by heart failure. It did not provide details on the second victim, but said a medical examination would be conducted to determine the cause of death for both. Azerbaijan protested the deaths by canceling a scheduled trip to Moscow by government officials, citing the 'targeted extrajudicial killings and violence against Azerbaijanis on the basis of their nationality' by Russian law enforcement. It also called off a visit to Baku by a Russian deputy prime minister, and the Culture Ministry canceled concerts, exhibitions and other events by Russian state and private institutions. Ties between Moscow and Baku have been strained since the December crash of an Azerbaijani passenger jet. The plane eventually crashed as it tried to land in nearby Kazakhstan. Aliyev said it was attacked over Russia, albeit unintentionally, and rendered uncontrollable by electronic warfare measures amid allegations that Russian air defense systems were trying to fend off a Ukrainian drone strike near Grozny. Putin apologized to Aliyev for what he called a 'tragic incident' but stopped short of acknowledging responsibility. In May, Aliyev declined to attend Russia's Victory Day parade in Moscow. Later that month, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha visited Azerbaijan, signaling closer ties between Baku and Kyiv.
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Azerbaijan Detains 7 Linked to a Russian Media Outlet as a Rift Between Baku and Moscow Deepens
Seven people linked to a Kremlin-funded media outlet in Azerbaijan's capital were detained after a raid on its office, the country's Interior Ministry said Tuesday. This is the latest sign of the rift between Moscow and Baku over the deaths of two ethnic Azerbaijanis in Russian custody. Tensions have been growing since December when an Azerbaijani passenger jet was attacked as it approached Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya. It later crashed, killing 38 of 67 people aboard. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev blamed Moscow and said Russian President Vladimir Putin had tried to hush up what happened. On Monday, masked police stormed the offices of Sputnik Azerbaijan. The Interior Ministry said the Kremlin-backed media outlet had continued operating via illegal financing despite having its accreditation revoked in February. Detained in the raid were Sputnik Azerbaijan's editor-in-chief, Yevgeny Belousov, and editorial board director, Igor Kartavykh. Five others linked to the media outlet also were detained and under investigation for alleged fraud, illegal entrepreneurship, and acquiring property by criminal means. Belousov and Kartavykh were charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, which carries a maximum prison sentence of up to 12 years. They also were charged with conspiracy to launder funds or other property and conspiracy to carry out an illegal enterprise. Both were arrested and ordered held for at least four months in pre-trial detention. Sputnik's parent company, Rossiya Segodnya, said Tuesday it was deeply concerned by the raid and that Azerbaijani staff members were among those detained. Diplomats from the Russian Consulate have not been granted access to its citizens who were detained, it said, and that Kartavykh's apartment had been searched and computer equipment seized. 'All these actions have no basis and have led to the blocking of Sputnik Azerbaijan,' the statement said. 'We call on the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately resolve this unacceptable situation and release our colleagues.' The Kremlin also called for their release. 'Such measures against members of the media are absolutely not in line with generally accepted rules and norms and, of course, do not match the spirit and nature of Russian–Azerbaijani relations,' spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday. The detentions followed Russian police raids Friday on the homes of ethnic Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg, Russia, as part of an investigation into a number of killings dating back decades. Two brothers, Ziyaddin and Huseyn Safarov, died while in police custody, and several others were seriously injured in the raids, officials said, with nine people detained. Sayfaddin Huseynli, a brother of the two dead Azerbaijanis, told The Associated Press the raids were 'an inhumane, cruel act by Russia against migrants – an act of intimidation.' Migrants from Muslim-majority countries that once were part of the Soviet Union frequently complain of discrimination at the hands of Russians. On Tuesday, the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan said it would launch a criminal investigation into the two deaths. It said Azerbaijani citizens and others of Azerbaijani descent 'who were practically helpless and unable to defend themselves were subjected to beatings and other physical abuse by Russian officials.' It attributed the deaths of 60-year-old Huseyn Safarov and 55-year-old Ziyaddin Safarov to post-traumatic shock caused by multiple injuries. Huseyn had also suffered post-hemorrhagic shock, it said. Russia's Investigative Committee said Monday that one of the deaths had been caused by heart failure. It did not provide details on the second victim but said a medical examination would be conducted to determine the cause of death for both. Azerbaijan protested the deaths by canceling a scheduled trip to Moscow by government officials, citing the 'targeted, extrajudicial killings and violence against Azerbaijanis on the basis of their nationality by Russian law enforcement.' It also called off a visit to Baku by a Russian deputy prime minister, and the Culture Ministry canceled concerts, exhibitions, and other events by Russian state and private institutions. Ties between Moscow and Baku have been strained since the December crash of an Azerbaijani passenger jet. The plane eventually crashed as it tried to land in nearby Kazakhstan. Aliyev said it was attacked over Russia, albeit unintentionally, and rendered uncontrollable by electronic warfare measures amid allegations that Russian air defense systems were trying to fend off a Ukrainian drone strike near Grozny. Putin apologized to Aliyev for what he called a 'tragic incident' but stopped short of acknowledging responsibility. In May, Aliyev declined to attend Russia's Victory Day parade in Moscow. Later that month, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha visited Azerbaijan, signaling closer ties between Baku and Kyiv.
