YEKATERINBURG, July 16 — The Leninsky District Court of Yekaterinburg has ordered the pre-trial detention of Mutvaly Shykhlinski, a local defense attorney and the son of Shakhin Shykhlinski, head of the regional Azerbaijani diaspora. The court ruling places Shykhlinski in custody until September 14 on charges of using violence against a state official under Article 318 of Russia’s Criminal Code.
The arrest is the latest development in a widening diplomatic rift between Russia and Azerbaijan, as criminal cases involving citizens of both countries spark controversy and accusations of misconduct.
According to RBC, the court hearing was held behind closed doors under Judge Alexander Suslov. The charges stem from a July incident near the Baku Plaza shopping center in Yekaterinburg, during which security officers attempted to detain Shykhlinski’s father. Investigators claim Mutvaly, who was driving a Mercedes G-Class at the time, struck a Federal Security Service (FSB) officer with the car’s open door while attempting to leave the scene.
Shakhin Shykhlinski was questioned and released as a witness in the broader Safarov brothers case—a high-profile investigation involving Azerbaijani nationals accused of a series of murders dating back to 2001. Two of the detained brothers died during searches conducted by Russian authorities. Russian investigators attributed their deaths to heart failure, but Azerbaijani forensic experts concluded they had died from post-traumatic shock.
Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor General’s Office has opened a criminal case into the deaths, fueling bilateral tensions.
Legal Dispute and Diplomatic Undercurrents
Mutvaly Shykhlinski’s attorney, Pavel Korobov, denounced the arrest as unlawful and announced plans to appeal. Under Russian law, criminal prosecution of a licensed attorney requires authorization from the regional Investigative Committee head and consent from the supervising prosecutor, both of which were reportedly obtained in this case.
Shykhlinski had been interrogated by the Sverdlovsk Region’s Investigative Committee on July 15 before being placed in a temporary detention facility.
A Growing Diplomatic Standoff
The case comes amid a broader deterioration in Azerbaijan–Russia relations, marked by reciprocal arrests and public pressure campaigns. Following the deaths of the Safarov brothers in Russian custody, Azerbaijani police raided the offices of Sputnik Azerbaijan, part of Russia’s state media holding. A Baku court ordered the arrest of Editor-in-Chief Igor Kartavykh and Deputy Editor Yevgeny Belousov on charges including fraud, illegal business activity, and money laundering.
Soon after, Azerbaijani authorities arrested eight Russian citizens, reportedly charging them with drug trafficking and cybercrime. Videos from court hearings showed the detainees had been physically assaulted, further inflaming tensions.
The Kremlin has made only cautious public statements, while Azerbaijan’s government continues to pursue legal and forensic reviews of Russian actions involving its nationals.
Outlook: Legal Case or Political Signal?
Analysts warn that what began as isolated criminal cases now risks spiraling into a tit-for-tat diplomatic conflict, with implications for diaspora safety, media freedom, and law enforcement cooperation between the two countries.
The case of Mutvaly Shykhlinski—an attorney, a diaspora figure, and now a detainee—may become a symbolic flashpoint in this standoff.
