Azerbaijan Cancels Russian Cultural Events 

Azerbaijan has canceled all cultural events organized by Russian state and private institutions, Orda.kz reports.

The Ministry of Culture cited “deliberate killings and acts of violence” committed against Azerbaijanis “on the basis of ethnicity” in Russia’s Ural region as the reason for the decision.

On June 27, Russian law enforcement officers in Yekaterinburg carried out a raid targeting people of Azerbaijani origin, during which two men were killed, prompting condemnation from Baku over what it described as ethnically motivated violence.

The two men who were killed were Azerbaijani citizens, some detained are said to have Russian citizenship.

According to Novaya Gazeta, law enforcement purport that the raid was a part of an FSB operation targeting what authorities called an “ethnic criminal group.”

Three Azerbaijani nationals — Mazakhir, Akif, and Ayaz Safarov — were arrested over a series of homicides committed between 2001 and 2011. Their defense claims some were tortured following the arrests. 

On June 28, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires and issued a “strong protest” over the incidents.

The Ministry has demanded an investigation into the situation. 

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan’s parliamentary delegation, led by First Deputy Speaker Ali Ahmedov, has canceled its planned visit to Moscow.

It was for the 23rd session of the interparliamentary commission with Russia’s Federal Assembly.

The Milli Majlis cited “demonstrative, unlawful killings and acts of violence against Azerbaijanis carried out by Russian law enforcement on ethnic grounds in Yekaterinburg” as the reason, calling such incidents increasingly frequent.