Azerbaijan’s Ombudsman Appeals to Russian Authorities Over Violence Against Azerbaijani Nationals in Yekaterinburg

Baku, The Gulf Observer: The Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Sabina Aliyeva, has formally appealed to her Russian counterpart regarding a violent incident involving Azerbaijani nationals in the Russian Federation.

According to an official statement, Sabina Aliyeva sent an official letter to the Human Rights Commissioner of the Russian Federation, Tatyana Moskalkova, as well as to the Regional Commissioner for Human Rights of the Sverdlovsk Region, Tatyana Merzlyakova, in connection with the brutal killing and infliction of injuries on Azerbaijani citizens in Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk Region.

The letter condemned the violence and described it as a grave violation of human rights and freedoms, particularly the right to life and the prohibition of torture, as enshrined in Articles 20 and 21 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. It further cited violations of the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, to which Russia is a signatory.

In the appeal, Ombudsman Aliyeva called on Russian authorities to take the matter under immediate oversight, in accordance with the principles of bilateral cooperation between Azerbaijani and Russian ombuds institutions, and within the framework of existing bilateral agreements.

She urged the Russian side to ensure a thorough, objective, and transparent investigation of the incident, hold those responsible fully accountable, and provide legal and psychological support to the families of the victims.

The letter also emphasized the importance of establishing systematic oversight mechanisms and implementing preventive measures to avoid similar human rights violations in the future.

Expressing hope for a fair and lawful response, the Azerbaijani Ombudsman expressed confidence that the legal and institutional steps to be taken by Russian authorities would ensure a just legal assessment of the incident and contribute to the protection of the rights of foreign citizens residing in the Russian Federation.