Azeri MP denied entry to Russia

Azer Badamov, an Azerbaijani MP, who was on the way to the Astrakhan Region as a member of an Azeri delegation, was detained at a Moscow airport and deported. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has demanded explanations from the Russian side.

Azer Badamov, an MP of the Azeri Milli Majlis (National Assembly, or Parliament) was detained at a Moscow airport and deported to Azerbaijan, the APA News Agency has reports today.

Badamov was a member of the delegation that, at the invitation of the Russian side and with the organizational support of the executive authority of the Absheron District, went to the Astrakhan Region to take part in events dedicated to the anniversary of Geidar Aliev’s birthday.

However, in Moscow, Badamov was not allowed to board a plane to Astrakhan, explaining that he was banned from entering Russia. "Currently, Azer Badamov is on the plane and is returning back," the above Agency informs.

Azer Badamov is an MP from the ruling “Eni Azerbaijan” (New Azerbaijan) Party. He is a deputy chairman of the committee on economic policy, industry and entrepreneurship, a member of the committee on agrarian policy, a member of the CIS inter-parliamentary assembly and the inter-parliamentary commission on cooperation of the Milli Majlis with the Russia’s Federal Assembly, the website of the Azerbaijani Parliament has explained.

We treat this Russian side’s decision as an unfriendly step.

The press service of the Azerbaijani MFA has confirmed the incident. "Yes, this has really happened today. […] Despite the fact that the delegation had flown from Baku to Moscow, the Russian side detained the MP Azer Badamov, who was a delegation member, at the Moscow airport without any prior warning or information, stating that he was banned from entering Russia. After he was detained for some time there, he was returned to our country," the “Trend” News Agency quotes the MFA’s statement.

Azeri diplomats have contacted their colleagues from the Russian MFA through the embassy. "The official source from the Russian MFA stated that the incident would be investigated, but gave no explanations for the reasons for this decision. We treat this decision of the Russian side as an unfriendly step and are waiting for Russia’s explanations," the “Trend” quotes a fragment of the MFA’s statement.

As of 3:16 p.m. Moscow time, the Russian MFA made no comment on the above statement in its website or in the Telegram channel.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on May 4, 2025 at 03:18 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.