Russian Embassy on Case of Russian Citizen Saleh Rustamov

Baku / 20.09.18 / Turan: The Russian Embassy is taking the necessary measures to organize a meeting of the consulate employees with the Russian citizen, Saleh Rustamov, who was arrested in Azerbaijan. The Russian embassy said this to Turan IA, responding to the request to comment on the complaint of the son of the arrested man that the consulate refused to facilitate the release of his father.

"The Azerbaijani side informed the Embassy of the detention of Russian citizen S. Rustamov. All necessary measures are taken to organize a meeting of consular officers with the detainee. The embassy is in contact with law enforcement bodies of Azerbaijan and relatives of S. Rustamov," the embassy"s press service told Turan.

Let's remind that Saleh Rustamov and his nephew Vidadi Rustamli were arrested in May this year on charges of illegal drug trafficking. However, on May 26 the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan reported the arrest of S. Rustamov and V. Rustamli along with activists of the Popular Front Party, Aghil Maharramov, Ruslan Nasirli and Babek Hasanov, on charges of "illegal financing" of PFPA.

The arrested men were charged with illegal business, laundering money obtained by criminal means, etc.

PFPA rejected accusations of illegal financing. All those arrested in this case are recognized as political prisoners by human rights activists. -06B-