Russian court upholds prison sentences for Azerbaijani diaspora leader, son

The Sverdlovsk Regional Court has upheld the convictions and prison sentences handed down to former head of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Russia's Ural region, Shahin Shykhlinski, and his son, Mutvala Shykhlinski.

The court rejected appeals filed by the defence and left unchanged the verdict issued by the Kirov District Court of Yekaterinburg, Caliber.Az reports per Russian media. 

The case stems from an incident that took place on July 1, 2025 near the Baku Plaza shopping centre in Yekaterinburg. According to investigators, law enforcement officers stopped a Mercedes driven by Mutvala Shykhlinski, with his father in the passenger seat, in order to deliver a summons requiring Shahin Shykhlinski to appear for questioning.

Prosecutors alleged that while reversing the vehicle, Mutvala Shykhlinski struck a law enforcement officer. The officer was identified as a lieutenant serving with Russia's National Guard.

Both men were charged under Part 2 of Article 318 of the Russian Criminal Code, which concerns the use of violence against a public official. They pleaded not guilty. During the trial, prosecutors requested nine-year prison sentences for both defendants.

The court found Shahin Shykhlinski guilty and sentenced him to nine years in prison. Taking into account a previous sentence, the court imposed a combined sentence of 24 years' imprisonment, with the first four years to be served in prison and the remainder in a strict-regime penal colony.

Mutvala Shykhlinski was sentenced to eight years in a general-regime penal colony.

The court also ordered the confiscation of the Mercedes involved in the incident.

By Sabina Mammadli