Paris: Recent discoveries have shed light on the tragic murder of Azerbaijani political migrant Vedadi Iskenderli, who was stabbed to death in his home in Mulhouse, France.
Iskenderli, a vocal critic of the Azerbaijani oligarchs, died in hospital on October 1 after sustaining more than 20 stab wounds in the attack on September 29, the BBC reports.
Three unknown assailants broke into Eskenderli’s house, seriously injuring him in the liver and lungs. Despite efforts to save him, Eskenderli died two days later. Mulhouse police are actively investigating the case.
Ali Oguz, an opposition blogger and host of Oguz TV, highlighted that Eskenderli had recently been exposing the criminal activities of Azerbaijani oligarch Anar Alizadeh on his blog.
According to Oguz, Iskenderli received threats from Fuat Agayev, a former Azerbaijani intelligence officer who now lives in Switzerland and was allegedly acting on behalf of Alizadeh.
Agayev, who faced previous charges in connection with the poisoning and death of Azerbaijani public figure Seveng Babayeva in Istanbul in 2012, is said to be part of the Azerbaijani migrant network. In one of his last statements, Iskenderli expressed fear for his life and accused Aghayev of being a “follower” of Alizade.
The killing of Vedadi Iskenderli has brought renewed attention to the dangers faced by Azerbaijani political exiles in Europe, many of whom continue to be active despite facing intimidation and threats.
Eskenderli was known for his outspoken criticism of the Azerbaijani government and its powerful oligarchy, using his platform to denounce corruption and human rights abuses. His death has raised concern among the immigrant community, with some activists fearing that violence directed against opponents abroad will become more widespread.
The involvement of figures such as Fuad Aghayev, who has a controversial past and alleged ties to intelligence operations, adds a layer of complexity to the case. Agayev’s history, which includes accusations of involvement in the suspicious death of Seveng Babayeva, raises questions about the pattern of targeting prominent opposition figures.
The current investigation into Iskenderli’s murder is likely to examine these links, as well as the broader network of Azerbaijani political and business interests that could be linked to the crime.
Neither Anar Alizadeh nor Fuad Aghayev issued any public response to these allegations or to the killing of Eskenderli. Police confirmed that the investigation is continuing.