Yekaterinburg court extends detention of Azerbaijani national until mid-July

The Yekaterinburg court has extended the detention of Ahliman Ganjiyev, an Azerbaijani national who was arrested on June 27.

The court ruled to prolong the preventive custody previously imposed on Ganjiyev for an additional 72 hours, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Subsequently, the court decided to extend his detention for a total period of 22 days.

Ganjiyev will remain held at the pre-trial detention facility until July 19, pending further investigation and legal proceedings.

To recall, on June 27, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) conducted raid on the residences of the Azerbaijani Safarov family, resulting in the deaths of two brothers, Huseyn Safarov (an Azerbaijani citizen) and Ziyaddin Safarov (a Russian citizen), severe injuries to several others, and the detention of nine individuals, most of whom were Russian citizens of Azerbaijani origin.

The early morning raid involved FSB officers and the Special Rapid Response Unit (SOBR). The Safarov family, originally from Aghdam, Azerbaijan, and engaged in the restaurant business (owning the “Kaspi” restaurant), was targeted. The operation was described as violent, with reports of beatings, torture with electric shocks, and degrading treatment, such as forcing detainees to “eat mud” in transport vehicles.

Two to five deaths were reported, though only the deaths of Huseyn and Ziyaddin Safarov were consistently confirmed. Nine individuals, primarily from the Safarov family, were detained, with some hospitalised due to serious injuries (e.g., Akif, Ayaz, Kamal, and Mazahir Safarovs). Over 50 Azerbaijanis were reportedly detained in total, though exact numbers vary.

Ganjiyev was also among those detained during the brutal raid.

By Vafa Guliyeva