Was a former Azerbaijani official arrested in Poland "by order of Putin"?
Arrest of Elkhan Nuriyev in Poland
A member of the “Union of Officers” of Ukraine, former Azerbaijani state official Elkhan Nuriyev, who is also a Ukrainian citizen, has been arrested while attempting to enter Poland. He was arrested by Interpol for 33 days, and Polish law enforcement are studying the validity of Azerbaijan’s claims. During the arrest, it became known that in 1994, had been criminal case was initiated against Nuriyev in Azerbaijan. According to a friend, opposition politician Adalat Yusub, Nuriyev’s arrest may be “Putin‘s order.”
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Who is Elkhan Nuriev?
Born in 1962 in the Gubadli region of Azerbaijan, Elkhan Nuriyev served in the Soviet army on the territory of Ukraine. After service he remained in Ukraine, graduating from Kharkov State Institute.
In 1991, when the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict escalated, he returned to Azerbaijan and joined a volunteer battalion to protect his native Gubadli region.
In September 1992, by decree of the President of Azerbaijan, Abulfaz Elchibey, Nuriyev was appointed head of the executive power of the Gubadli region.
Less than a year later, on August 24, 1993, by decree of President Heydar Aliyev, he was relieved of his post.
A few months later, Nuriev left Azerbaijan and returned to Ukraine. He accepted Ukrainian citizenship, and now actively participates in the socio-political life of the country.
What is he accused of?
According to the Azerbaijani portal ASNTA, Elkhan Nuriyev, who was on the international wanted list by Azerbaijan through Interpol, was charged under Articles 120 (premeditated murder) and 309 (abuse of power) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. The court issued a warrant for his arrest.
According to Adalat Yusub, deputy chairman of the opposition Azerbaijan Democracy and Prosperity Party, being a citizen of Ukraine, Elkhan Nuriyev has repeatedly gone abroad and freely visited Turkey and Poland. “He never had any problems at the border checkpoints between countries,” said Yusub, a close friend of Nureyev.
According to Yusub, the purpose of Nuriev’s last visit to Poland was to participate in consultations with European countries on the creation and preparation of an international tribunal condemning Russia’s crimes in Ukraine.
Who “ordered” Nureyev’s arrest?
Adalat Yusub says that Polish police have arrested Nuriev for 33 days in order to investigate the validity of the criminal case against him.
“Over the past seven-eight years I have witnessed Nuriyev visit Europe and Turkey numerous times. I never witnessed him have any trouble, so being arrested now, after thirty years, seems to suggest it was ordered”, Yusub says.
According to Yusub, a few days before his last trip to Europe, Nuriyev made a statement on his social media account about the time and purpose of the trip.
“The main purpose of the visit to Europe under his leadership was to start a public movement for the establishment of the 2nd Nuremberg Court in Europe to prosecute Putin’s crimes. Of course, the steps that should have been taken in this direction could not but worry Putin. This is probably why this happened. Unfortunately, the blow came from Azerbaijan, which he loves more than life,” added Adalat Yusub.
Arrest of Elkhan Nuriyev in Poland
