The Kremlin has pledged to defend the rights and interests of Russian citizens recently detained in Azerbaijan, stating that all available diplomatic measures will be utilized. The statement was made by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, following reports and video footage showing the detainees bearing visible signs of physical abuse, TASS reports.
“We have carefully reviewed the video footage and taken note of all the details. We will defend the legitimate interests of our citizens through diplomatic channels and will use all available means to do so,” Peskov told journalists, responding to questions about the condition of the detained Russians.
Earlier, a court in Baku ruled to detain eight Russian nationals for four months. The detainees are accused of drug trafficking from Iran, illegal drug distribution via the internet, and cyber fraud. The court hearings reportedly took place individually for each suspect.
The Russian citizens were apprehended on July 1 by Azerbaijani law enforcement authorities. The footage from their arrest sparked concern in Moscow, particularly due to visible bruises and injuries seen on the detainees, prompting the Kremlin’s commitment to pursue the matter through diplomatic engagement.
The executive director and editor-in-chief of Russia’s state-run news agency Sputnik in Azerbaijan were also issued four months of detention on Tuesday, following a Baku police raid of the Russian state media affiliate the day before.
