During a meeting in Dushanbe, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed beginning talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev by discussing the crash of the AZAL aircraft.

At the meeting on October 9, Putin once again expressed his condolences over the accident and reminded Aliyev that he had apologized during their earlier phone conversation following the tragedy.

“I would like to begin our meeting with the aviation accident that occurred in our airspace. During our first phone call after the incident, I not only apologized for the fact that the tragedy happened in Russian skies but also expressed my deepest condolences to the families of the victims. The investigation is coming to an end, and now we can already speak about the causes of this disaster,” Putin said.

The Russian president also elaborated on the reasons behind the crash:

“There were several causes. The first is that a Ukrainian drone was in the air at the time. On the night of the tragedy, we observed three such drones crossing the border. The second reason relates to technical failures in Russia’s air defense system. There is no doubt that in such tragic situations, everything necessary — including compensation — will be carried out by Russia, and all responsible officials will face legal evaluation of their actions.”

On December 25, 2024, an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) plane flying from Baku to Grozny crashed near Aktau in Kazakhstan.

Of the 67 people on board, 42 were Azerbaijani, 16 Russian, 6 Kazakh, and 3 Kyrgyz citizens. 38 people were killed, and 29 survived.

In June 2025, tensions rose after two ethnic Azerbaijanis detained during a police operation in Yekaterinburg died under torture, and several others were injured. Baku condemned the incidents as “ethnic pressure” and harshly criticized Russian authorities. Additionally, the persecution of Azerbaijani-linked businessmen in Russia — including raids, arrests, and business interference — fueled further discontent.

In response, Azerbaijan shut down the Baku office of “Sputnik”, arrested several Russian citizens on espionage charges, and suspended the activities of the “Russian House” cultural center.

Putin also spoke about bilateral cooperation, noting:

“Despite the tragedy and all the surrounding issues, our economic relations have been developing successfully. Last year, we achieved around 6% growth, and this year it has already exceeded 16%, which is an excellent result. Thanks to your attention, our humanitarian ties have always remained strong. We will do everything to preserve this positive dynamic.”

The Russian president expressed optimism about the future of Moscow-Baku relations:

“I hope that our cooperation will not only be restored but will also continue in the spirit of our alliance. We never forget the treaty we signed recently and will do our utmost to ensure that all its key provisions are implemented,” Putin said.

President Ilham Aliyev thanked Putin for his personal attention to the AZAL plane crash investigation and stressed the importance of continuing economic cooperation:

“I would like to thank you personally for keeping this situation under your attention. We have discussed it many times, and our teams remain in constant contact. We had no doubt that the investigation under your supervision would be conducted objectively. Thank you once again for giving this matter special attention during our meeting,” Aliyev said.

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In Germany, the trial of former Bundestag member Aksel E. Fischer, accused of accepting bribes from the Azerbaijani government, has been postponed once again. The 59-year-old politician is alleged to have received payments from Baku while serving as a member of parliament. The trial is to be held at the Higher Regional Court of Munich.

İttihama görə, Xristian-Demokrat İttifaqını təmsil edən Fişer Bundestaq üzvü olduğu dövrdə Azərbaycan maraqlarını müdafiə etmək və parlamAccording to the indictment, Fischer, who represented the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), allegedly accepted €21,800 in bribes from the Azerbaijani government in 2016 in exchange for promoting Azerbaijan’s interests and making favorable statements about Baku in the Bundestag. Given that the statute of limitations for such offenses is ten years, it would expire in 2026.

The hearing was postponed this time because Fischer’s wife failed to appear in court. The Higher Regional Court announced that the next session is scheduled for October 20.

Fischer denies the charges, claiming that all of his actions were legitimate lobbying activities. His case was initially handled together with that of former MP Eduard Lintner, but due to Fischer’s repeated absences from hearings on health grounds, it was separated. Lintner, who admitted to the charges, received a nine-month suspended sentence in July.

The anti-corruption organization Transparency Deutschland has warned that because of the repeated delays, the bribery allegations risk becoming time-barred. Representatives of the organization emphasized the importance of strengthening international law enforcement cooperation.

Although the investigation into Fischer began in January 2025, his repeated illness-related absences caused delays, leading judges in April to separate his case from that of Eduard Lintner. Like Fischer, Lintner had been accused of “bribery of mandate holders.”

The 80-year-old Lintner, a member of the Christian Social Union (CSU), was found guilty of receiving bribes from Azerbaijan. In July, he was sentenced to nine months on probation. Lintner denied wrongdoing, arguing that his actions amounted to lobbying, and he has appealed the verdict.

Another former German MP from the Christian Democratic Union, Karin Strenz, was also accused in a related case of accepting bribes. The court concluded that she had received €111,000 from the Azerbaijani government. Since Strenz passed away in 2021, her husband will be responsible for repaying the amount.

The trial of Aksel Fischer is set to resume on October 20, and the proceedings are expected to conclude by the end of January 2026.

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The “Freedom for Political Prisoners of Azerbaijan” Union has released a new list of political prisoners, which includes the names of 392 individuals.

This represents an increase of 17 people compared to the list published on June 10, 2025, which contained 375 names.

The new list was compiled by Leyla Yunus, Director of the Institute for Peace and Democracy, and Elshan Hasanov, head of the Center for Monitoring Political Prisoners.

The list is divided into 12 categories:

• Journalists and bloggers – 31
• Human rights defenders – 7
• Members of opposition parties and civil society – 39
• Activists from national minorities – 5
• Anti-war activists – 2
• The “Soyudlu village case” – 2
• Politically motivated deportees from Germany – 5
• The “Imishli case” detainees – 19
• Religious believers – 249
• The “Tartar case” – 8
• The “Ganja case” – 13
• Prisoners serving life sentences – 12

The authors stated that the list was prepared according to the criteria defined in Resolution No. 1900, adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) during its October 2012 session, which outlines the definition of a “political prisoner.”

The Azerbaijani authorities, however, categorically deny the existence of political prisoners in the country. Officials claim that no one is imprisoned for their political views or beliefs, asserting instead that those listed have been convicted for specific criminal offenses.

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