To ensure an objective investigation of the committed crime in Russia’s Yekaterinburg city and to identify and hold all guilty parties criminally accountable, Azerbaijan will intensify its efforts by establishing mutual contact with Russia’s competent authorities.
The statement was made by Nemat Avazov, Head of the Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office, during a briefing concerning the torture and deliberate killing with particular cruelty of Azerbaijani citizens and ethnic Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg.
According to Avazov, to date, no information or international requests have been received by the Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office from the competent authorities of the Russian Federation regarding the initiation of a criminal case related to the torture and deliberate killing with particular cruelty of Azerbaijani citizens and ethnic Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg.
"However, in cases where a death occurs, especially if it is recorded in a state agency’s building or vehicle during operational-search activities, Russian authorities are obliged to investigate the matter thoroughly," he said.
He also noted that relevant expert examinations have been conducted in Russia regarding the bodies.
“The fact that these examinations have been carried out indicates that investigations have already begun in Russia. When a person, regardless of their language, religion, citizenship, or nationality, is subjected to torture and killed as a result of such violence by authorized state officials, it constitutes an especially grave crime. Preliminary evidence and proof have been collected by our investigators, and in accordance with the requirements of the 2002 Convention, a request for international legal assistance has been sent to the relevant Russian authorities. In this request, we have comprehensively asked our Russian counterparts and competent authorities to conduct relevant investigative actions, provide materials, perform necessary examinations, conduct inspections, issue inquiries, and collect documents. To ensure an objective investigation of the committed crime and to identify and hold all guilty parties criminally accountable, we will intensify our efforts by establishing mutual contact with Russia’s competent authorities. We hope that our efforts will yield results, and those responsible will be held criminally accountable,” Avazov added.
