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Russians detained in Azerbaijan granted consular access, Russian Embassy in Baku confirms

Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS that consular staff had agreed on access to 13 Russian citizens detained in Azerbaijan

BAKU, July 3. /TASS/. The Russian embassy in Baku has confirmed that the Russians recently detained in Azerbaijan have been granted consular assistance.

"Consular access has been granted," the diplomatic mission said, but did not elaborate.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS that consular staff had agreed on access to 13 Russian citizens detained in Azerbaijan.

On June 28, the Investigative Committee’s branch for the Sverdlovsk region said it had suppressed a group involved in several murders committed in Yekaterinburg in the early 2000s. Eight defendants were taken into custody.

According to preliminary data, one of the defendants died from heart failure. The cause of death of the second person is being established. Their bodies were taken from Yekaterinburg to Baku, which said that a forensic medical examination detected signs of violence and protested to Russia.

Azerbaijan cancelled events with Russian participation, Russian journalists Igor Kartavykh and Yevgeny Belousov, and other Russian citizens were detained. Azerbaijan and Russia exchanged notes of protest, and diplomats were called in to the Foreign Ministries.