Man suspected of murdering two policemen in Ganja riots dies in custody

Rashad Boyukkishiyev, a suspect in the recent killing of two policemen in the Azerbaijani city of Ganja during a protest, has died in police custody.

The prosecutor general reported that this took place on the evening of 12 July in Moranli village, Shamkir region, where Boyukkishiyev was being held.

The second suspect, Samir Ibrahimov, has been arrested.

On 10 July a protest took place in Ganja in defence of Yunis Safarov who, one week earlier, injured the head of the city administration Elmar Valiyev. The authorities believe that the attacker was a radical Islamist and that his actions were an attempt at overthrowing the government.

The public meanwhile believes that his attack was revenge for the arbitrary abuse of power for which Valiyev is known.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs says that people who came out onto the streets were radical Islamists armed with ‘pointed and piercing’ objects. The demonstration was organised via social media networks.

While the police tried to disperse the protest, an altercation took place between the police and protesters, resulting in the deaths of two policemen.

Eleven other people from the protest were arrested along with Samir Ibrahimov.