Baku, July 1, 2025 – The Europe Today: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan has issued a formal protest to the Russian Federation in response to the recent acts of violence and mistreatment involving Azerbaijani nationals in Yekaterinburg. The protest was conveyed through a note verbale presented by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Azerbaijan to the Russian Federation, Rahman Mustafayev, during a meeting at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 1.
Aykhan Hajizada, Spokesperson for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, confirmed to local media that the note verbal expressed strong condemnation over the brutal murder and injury of Azerbaijani citizens and individuals of Azerbaijani descent — including citizens of both Azerbaijan and Russia — resulting from acts of severe physical violence. The Azerbaijani side emphasized that the incident constituted a grave violation of legal norms.
The note also voiced serious concerns regarding the use of torture and degrading treatment by Russian law enforcement agencies during the interrogation of Azerbaijani compatriots. Such actions, according to the statement, constitute violations of both the legal framework of the Russian Federation and internationally recognized human rights and freedoms.
The Azerbaijani side further underscored its alarm over what it described as displays of ethnic intolerance against Azerbaijanis during police raids and the manner in which such incidents were covered in the Russian media. These actions, the spokesperson noted, have sparked strong public outcry in Azerbaijan.
The Russian authorities were urged to launch a thorough and impartial investigation into the attacks and to ensure that those responsible are held accountable in accordance with Russian law.
Ambassador Mustafayev also addressed the issue concerning recent operational measures taken at the office of “Sputnik-Azerbaijan,” which is presented as a local branch of the Russian state-run “Rossiya Segodnya” international news agency. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry reiterated that all actions carried out at the office by national law enforcement agencies were fully in line with domestic legislation and the country’s international obligations.
Hajizada recalled that on February 12 of this year, the head of the Baku branch of the Russian media agency had been summoned to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. It was clearly communicated that the branch lacked any legal basis to operate as a representative office in Azerbaijan, and an official notification was issued for its activities to be suspended within three days.
Despite this notification, the branch reportedly continued to function, and Russian nationals whose accreditation had been revoked continued to work there unlawfully. Consequently, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Internal Affairs has initiated criminal proceedings in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Criminal Code.
In this context, Baku asserted that the dissatisfaction expressed by the Russian side was without legal basis and urged Moscow to refrain from interfering in Azerbaijan’s internal affairs. The spokesperson emphasized that Azerbaijan’s actions have remained within the boundaries of legal conduct — in stark contrast to the methods employed by Russian authorities in recent incidents.
Concluding his remarks, Hajizada stated that the aforementioned developments — including the violent attacks and illegal law enforcement actions — are incompatible with the spirit of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation.
