Azerbaijani citizen opens up about Russian Federal Security Service’s violent assault during apartment raid  

Ramil Safarov, an Azerbaijani citizen who was detained in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg by the Federal Security Service and later released, shared details of the incident.

Safarov recounted that at 6:00 a.m. (GMT+3) on June 27, masked Federal Security Service agents stormed into his apartment, Caliber.Az reports via local media. 

“They broke down the door and ransacked the place. I was thrown to the floor and kicked repeatedly,” Safarov said, showing bruises on his body. “I’m covered in bruises. My vision is blurred, and I feel dizzy. My nose was bleeding from the beatings, and they ordered me to wipe the blood away to hide the evidence.”

Safarov noted that the Federal Security Service agents who broke into the apartment did not present any identification or warrants. “They beat me in one room and my father in another. One of them pinned my head to the floor with his boot and demanded that I confess to something my father didn’t do, threatening me with violence if I refused.”

Moreover, Safarov added that the agents took everything from the apartment — money, gold, even the car's license plate. 

On June 27, the Federal Security Service conducted a large-scale raid in Yekaterinburg, allegedly related to a murder case dating back to 2001. During the operation, up to 50 Azerbaijani individuals were detained, most of whom were later released. However, two Azerbaijani men were reportedly killed in their houses during the raid, several others sustained serious injuries, and nine people remain in custody.

By Naila Huseynova