Murder trial begins in Yekaterinburg involving Azerbaijani diaspora leader

A criminal trial has begun in Yekaterinburg’s Kirov District Court involving the alleged murder and attempted contract killing of a prominent figure within the Azerbaijani community in the Urals.

The case concerns Shahin Shikhlinsky, head of the Azerbaijani diaspora in the region, along with several other defendants, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Due to the large number of participants, proceedings are being held in the building of the regional court rather than the district court.

Those on trial include Shikhlinsky, Shujaeddin Rajabov, and Akif, Ayaz, Baykir, Kamal, and Mazahir Safarov. The case is being heard by a jury panel.

At the session, motions from the prosecution and the victims’ representatives to hold the hearings behind closed doors were approved.

The next court session is scheduled for January 27.

The criminal case involving Shahin Shikhlinsky stems from a major law‑enforcement operation carried out in June 2025 targeting members of the local Azerbaijani community.

That operation led to multiple arrests, with authorities accusing those detained of involvement in past murders and attempted killings dating back to the 2000s. Two Azerbaijani nationals reportedly died from injuries sustained during the June raids.

Following the operation, final charges were brought against Shikhlinsky, and the case was formally sent to court. A senior investigator from the Russian Investigative Committee handled the case materials, and there were claims from sources that the investigation contained contradictions and potential bias in the way charges were framed.

Shikhlinsky and his son, Mutvali Shikhlinsky, were later detained, with Mutvali charged with violence against a state official. Shikhlinsky himself faced charges including attempted contract killing and violence against a representative of the authorities. Both remained in custody as the criminal proceedings progressed.

By Aghakazim Guliyev