Former Azerbaijani diaspora leader, son face court proceedings in Yekaterinburg

In Yekaterinburg, a preliminary hearing and subsequent court proceedings have been held in the criminal case involving the former head of the Azerbaijani diaspora, Shahin Shikhlinski, his son Mutvala Shikhlinski, and the Safarov brothers.

According to Caliber.Az, citing Russian media outlets, the preliminary hearing was conducted behind closed doors. A total of 17 relatives came to support the defendants, while 12 defence lawyers were present. However, family members were not admitted to the courtroom due to the closed format of the session.

During the hearing, defence attorneys submitted a motion requesting that the case be considered by a jury. The court did not immediately rule on the request, and the next hearing has been scheduled for January, as the formation of a jury panel will be required should the motion be approved.

The case stems from events in June 2025, when Russian law enforcement agencies carried out a large-scale operation targeting Azerbaijani nationals in Yekaterinburg.

Violence was used during the operation, resulting in the deaths of two Azerbaijani citizens — brothers Ziyaddin Safarov and Huseyn Safarov — who succumbed to injuries sustained during the raid. Other members of the Safarov family were subsequently arrested by court order and charged with crimes allegedly committed in 2001, 2010, and 2011.

Following these events, Shahin Shikhlinski and his son Mutvala Shikhlinski were detained. A criminal case was opened against Mutvala Shikhlinski on charges of using violence against a representative of the authorities. Shahin Shikhlinski was charged with attempted contract killing as well as the use of violence against a law enforcement officer.

Mutvala Shikhlinski was detained on July 16, after which the court ordered his arrest as a preventive measure. Shahin Shikhlinski was later placed on a wanted list and was detained in Moscow on August 2. He was subsequently transferred to Yekaterinburg. On August 24, the court ordered his detention, and on September 24, the term of his arrest was extended until December 30.

The proceedings remain ongoing, with further developments expected when the court reconvenes in January.

By Tamilla Hasanova