All cultural events planned with the participation of state and private structures of Russia have been canceled in Azerbaijan.
"Considering the demonstrative, premeditated and extrajudicial killings and acts of violence committed by Russian law enforcement agencies in In the Sverdlovsk region of the Russian Federation in relation to Azerbaijanis on the basis of their ethnicity, and also taking into account that recently such cases have become systematic, all cultural events planned to be held in Azerbaijan with the participation of state and private structures of Russia, including concerts, festivals, performances, exhibitions, etc. , are canceled." The press service of the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan said.
Citizens who have bought tickets can contact the relevant points of sale and online platforms to return tickets.
According to media reports, on June 27 in Yekaterinburg, security forces searched more than 10 apartments of Azerbaijani natives and detained about 50 people as part of the investigation into the murder of merchant Yunis Pashayev, who was stabbed with kitchen knives in 2001. Brothers Zieddin and Huseyn Safarov were killed during the detention, the media call them the main suspects.
Baku called on Moscow to investigate the detention of Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg, during which two citizens of the country were killed. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry expressed concern over the "death ... of compatriots, some of them seriously injured, as well as the detention of nine people as a result of a special operation of the Russian FSB in the homes of Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg on the morning of June 27."
The Ministry also summoned the charge d'affaires of the Russian Embassy in Azerbaijan to express a strong protest to the Russian side.