Russia seeks extended prison term for former Azerbaijani diaspora leader

A Russian prosecutor has requested a nine-year sentence in a high-security penal colony for Shahin Shikhlinski, former head of the Azerbaijani diaspora in the Urals.

He is charged with committing violence against a government official, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

Shikhlinski’s son, Mutvali, faces the same term for a similar charge, but in a general-regime colony.

Both have denied the allegations.

The case stems from an incident in early July 2025.

Shikhlinski was in a car driven by his son, who struck a law enforcement officer while attempting to evade authorities.

The officer sustained severe injuries and remained hospitalised for an extended period.

According to a source, Russian authorities were planning to deliver a summons to Shahin Shikhlinski that day.

Earlier in March, Shikhlinski senior was sentenced to 22 years in prison for the contract killing of merchant Yunis Pashayev and an attempted attack on businessman Fehruz Shirinov.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov