Official Baku has issued a formal protest to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning the alleged forced conscription of Azerbaijani citizens detained in Chechnya for deployment to the war in Ukraine. According to diplomatic sources, the men in question are Nihad Rzaev, Elkhan Shirinov, and Vugar Maharramov.
“My son, Nihad Rzaev, and my sons-in-law, Elkhan Shirinov and Vugar Maharramov, went to Chechnya for work in May and are currently detained due to migration issues,” said Tafdyg Rzaev, a resident of Tovuz. Rzaev claims that his relatives are under pressure from military officials to go to the combat zone in Ukraine.
Qafqazinfo managed to contact Elkhan Shirinov and Vugar Magerramov, who are currently held at the “Severny Akhmat” military unit in Grozny, the capital of Chechnya.
Shirinov disclosed that five Azerbaijanis, including himself and Maharramov, are detained:
“Vugar Maharramov and I are currently in the military unit, while the other three, including Nihad, are in prison. Two Azerbaijanis were brought here earlier and are likely to be forced to sign documents as well. We were detained as migrants due to document discrepancies. In the detention center, we were offered to join the army, which we refused to do. Subsequently, we were told to sign blank documents, and lacking sufficient information, we did. We were then transferred to the military unit, where we are currently held.
We were told that if we try to escape or refuse to go to war, we will be taken to a field and shot. We are kept in the basement and subjected to torture. Why and for whom should I go fight in Ukraine?” asked Maharramov.
