MP: Incident in Yekaterinburg should be assessed as manifestation of systematic policy

The events that occurred in Yekaterinburg, Russia should be assessed not just as individual criminal acts, but as a manifestation of a systematic and deliberate policy, Azerbaijani MP Parvana Valiyeva told Report.

According to Parvana Valiyeva, the brutal raids conducted by Russian law enforcement agencies in the homes of people of Azerbaijani origin, subjecting them to torture and death, is not simply a violation of legal norms but another manifestation of ethnic cleansing.

The MP noted that the brutal detention and inhumane treatment of people for a crime that occurred 25 years ago is a clear violation of international law, including the UN Convention Against Torture:

"Such behaviors are not only against the Russian Constitution but are brutality directed against human dignity. According to legal norms, if a person is suspected of committing a crime, and not the entire family but specific individuals, their trial should only be conducted by a court, and their punishment should be given in accordance with legislation. No law enforcement representative has the right to torture or kill people."

Parvana Valiyeva added that the artificial strengthening of "Russian identity" ideology in Russia, attempts to transition to a mono-ethnic state model, and increasing xenophobia and hate speech against non-Russian peoples prove that this country has not abandoned its imperial nature.

The MP emphasized that Azerbaijanis and migrants of Central Asian origin who are subjected to stigmatization and ethnic, religious discrimination have been the main supporting force of the Russian economy for decades, yet they face social and legal discrimination, and administrative violence:

"Against the backdrop of these events, several main tendencies are clearly visible – the Russian government's policy of sending non-Russians rather than Russians to war, presenting migrants as 'absolutely guilty,' the Russian regime that commits crimes against humanity in Ukraine increasing its cruelty against non-Russian peoples internally, the open anti-Azerbaijani and Islamophobic rhetoric of Russian media, Russian state representatives regularly voicing biased and unfounded opinions against Azerbaijan, statements and expressions that confuse Russian society and touch on Azerbaijan's national interests are, in fact, part of a systematic and deliberate anti-Azerbaijan policy conducted by Russia."

She also said that the shooting down of a civilian aircraft belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) by Russia, the deliberate denial and cover-up of the issue, Russia's long inaction after the fact of the shooting was proven, the delayed apology and still unpaid compensation, and the mass cyber attacks against Azerbaijan in February 2025 coming from Russia are clear evidence of this:

"The Russian state and law enforcement agencies should not only prevent these crimes but also take immediate and decisive legal measures against every person who committed this brutality. This is vitally important for protecting the rights of millions of Azerbaijanis and other non-Russian peoples living in Russia. If the Russian state does not give an objective legal assessment to these events, it will not only inflame internal confrontations but will also create sharp breaks in relations with Azerbaijan. The Russian side should apologize to the Azerbaijani people for the crimes committed."