BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 2. In recent days, a troubling pattern has emerged in Russia - a display of “legality” that feels more performative than principled. The latest example involves the violent detention of Shahin Shikhlinsky, head of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Yekaterinburg, and his son. Footage of the incident, widely shared on social media, has sparked outrage, particularly within the Azerbaijani community.
The video shows Russian law enforcement officers in camouflage uniforms surrounding a vehicle in which Shikhlinsky and his son were sitting. What followed resembled a military-style ambush more than a lawful detention. Rather than simply opening the car door, officers shattered the windows with a hammer and dragged the two men onto the asphalt, forcibly twisting their arms behind their backs.
What makes the incident especially alarming is that neither Shikhlinsky nor his son resisted arrest. There were no signs of flight, aggression, or threat. Yet the officers acted as though they were neutralizing armed terrorists.
And here’s the key detail: Shikhlinsky was not even a suspect. He was summoned merely as a witness. He had already cooperated with investigators previously, answering questions without incident. There was no legal or practical justification for such an aggressive operation. A phone call or a summons would have sufficed.
The message seems clear: this was a show of force, not a pursuit of justice.
Observers and human rights advocates are calling the event a chilling display of state power - meant not to apprehend, but to intimidate. The aggressive handling of a peaceful community figure is raising questions not just about law enforcement protocols, but about the rule of law itself in modern Russia.
Shikhlinsky has since been released, but the damage is done. The footage - raw, public, and humiliating - was more than just an arrest. It was, in effect, a warning.
Many see this incident as emblematic of a broader pattern: a country where legal procedures are often bypassed in favor of spectacle, where citizens can no longer count on due process, and where force trumps dialogue. In such an environment, fear becomes a tool of governance.
The symbolism of the raid - its aggression, its disregard for basic rights, and its timing - suggests a calculated act designed to send a message. And for many, that message is deeply unsettling.
Source: en.trend.az
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