Authorities Detain Seven in Sputnik Azerbaijan Investigation

Seven people have been detained in connection with the Sputnik Azerbaijan case, with two of them currently under arrest, Orda.kz reports, citing Minval.az.

The first arrests were reported the previous day during a police operation at the news agency’s office. Two of the individuals detained were identified as employees allegedly affiliated with Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).

According to Azerbaijani media, a total of seven individuals are now involved in the case. Two remain under arrest, while five others are in detention.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs has opened a criminal case under articles of the Criminal Code related to fraud, illegal entrepreneurship, and the laundering of property obtained through criminal means,Minval reported. 

In response, representatives of the Rossiya Segodnya news agency, which operates Sputnik Azerbaijan, denounced the actions of Azerbaijani authorities as baseless.

Rossiya Segodnya is deeply concerned about the detention of two Russian citizens — the heads of Sputnik Azerbaijan — in Baku. Several Azerbaijani editorial staff members were also detained. No formal charges have been brought, and Russian consular staff have not been granted access to the detained citizens,the agency said in a statement. 

The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and Azerbaijan, following a Russian law enforcement operation in Yekaterinburg targeting members of the Azerbaijani diaspora. That operation resulted in two deaths, several injuries, and dozens of detentions. Russian law enforcement had claimed the raid targeted a criminal group. 

Azerbaijan later cancelled all cultural events organized by Russian state and private institutions, including the 23rd session of the interparliamentary commission with Russia’s Federal Assembly.

The Azerbaijani side claims the two individuals were killed and has voiced strong criticism of the incident.

Meanwhile, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Azerbaijan has opened a criminal case on charges of intentional homicide with particular cruelty and torture of the two Azerbaijani citizens and individuals of Azerbaijani origin by Russian law enforcement officers, according to The Caucasian Knot.

Against that backdrop, Report writes that a group of Russians allegedly involved in two organized criminal groups was detained in Baku. 

According to Report, citing the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, these groups were engaged in drug smuggling and sales from Iran, as well as cybercrime.

Original Author: Igor Ulitin