Former Leader of Azerbaijani Diaspora Faces Life Imprisonment in Russia

Criminal cases have been initiated against Shakhin Shikhlinski for committing violence against a government official and organizing two murders. According to 66RU, investigators believe he is the leader of a group involved in murders and attempted murders in the Sverdlovsk region from 2001 to 2011.

The case was opened due to an incident that occurred in early July, when special forces arrested Shakhin Shikhlinski near the Baku Plaza shopping center in Yekaterinburg while he was attempting to park a Mercedes-Benz G-Class vehicle with the son of Mutvalai.

Mutvalai Shikhlinski reported that armed individuals in masks broke the windows of his car while threatening him. He insisted that he was in shock and accidentally hit a special forces officer with the car door, causing the officer to fall to the ground and, as revealed later, sustain serious injuries.

In mid-July, the court arrested Mutvalai. He denies his guilt. The charges against him carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.

Shakhin Shikhlinski also pleads not guilty. He is accused of organizing the murder of businessman Fehruz Shirinov in 2010, who had openly accused Shikhlinski of criminal activities. The former leader of the Azerbaijani diaspora faces life imprisonment.

The investigation has concluded, and the case has been sent to court. The trial of the participants will begin soon.

Alongside Shikhlinski, the defendants also include brothers Akif, Ayaz, Bakir, Kamal, and Mazahir Safarov, as well as Asker Rajabov. They have been charged with murder and attempted murder. According to a source from 66RU, one of the defendants, Mazahir Safarov, has testified and implicated his accomplices. The other defendants deny their guilt.