Blogger Kyamil Zeynally detained in Moscow

Azerbaijani fitness trainer and blogger Kyamil Zeynally has been detained in Moscow following a request from the Armenian authorities. He announced this last night in his Instagram account.

According to Zeynally, he was detained at Domodedovo airport when returning to Baku. Police took him to the airport station. “They said Armenia has put me on an international wanted list and I will appear before a Russian court on Wednesday.”

According to Zeynally, he has been wanted since May last year. “This is the third time I have been in Russia since then, but I was detained only now. I was told that I will either be extradited to Armenia or they will come for me themselves. I hope for the support of our state structures,” Zeynally said. 

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry is aware of Zeynally’s detention. In response to ‘s question whether Zeynally has been detained at Armenia’s request, the Foreign Ministry’s press service said: “The issue is under the control of our Embassy. The citizen is being provided with necessary assistance. There is no additional information yet.”

As sources in the Azerbaijani diaspora in Moscow have learnt, Zeynally has already been visited at night by a consular official and a lawyer.

Zeynally is known as a pro-government blogger. When it comes to the reasons for his detention, the Armenian side accuses him of organising attacks on ethnic Armenians in Russia in 2020 during the Second Karabakh War.