“The brutal treatment of Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg represents the height of intolerance. Killing defenseless people and subjecting them to mass arrests is utterly unacceptable,” said Samad Seyidov, Chairman of the Milli Majlis Committee on International Relations and Interparliamentary Affairs, in a statement to AZERTAC.

Seyidov emphasized that the swift response from Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was no coincidence: “The events in Yekaterinburg are a clear example of discrimination and national prejudice. Our position on this issue is firm. Unfortunately, instead of fostering high-level strategic relations with Azerbaijan, certain forces in Russia appear determined to undermine them.”

The MP noted that the Azerbaijani public has understandably reacted strongly to the national discrimination faced by Azerbaijanis in Russia.

“Our parliamentarian is denied entry to Russia, our websites are attacked, our plane is shot down, and Azerbaijanis are subjected to national prejudice. In contrast, Azerbaijan stands as an example of tolerance. Naturally, these events have an impact on bilateral relations,” Seyidov said, adding that the Azerbaijani government is taking - and will continue to take - all necessary measures to protect its compatriots.