The scandals, arrests, and appointments that have plagued the Azerbaijani diaspora in Yekaterinburg for years are entering a new phase. On January 10, during elections held at the District Officers' House, 69-year-old Ministry of Internal Affairs veteran, police colonel Kərim Qasımov, was appointed head of the “Azerbaijan-Ural Union” National-Cultural Society.
This appointment is not merely a change of leadership; it is assessed as an attempt by Russian power structures to fully restore control over the Azerbaijani community in the region. The election of an individual who served in the country's internal affairs bodies for over 30 years and is a graduate of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs Academy signals that the diaspora will transform from a "public organization" into a type of public order enforcement unit.
Although Kərim Qasımov claims to have won with the unanimous vote of 485 electors, Modern.az-ın information obtained by Modern.az indicates a different reality. Sources within the community state that the colonel's candidacy was not met with universal approval. Furthermore, reports circulated on election day about special forces being deployed to the building and impending arrests are indicative of the tense and pressured environment in which the election took place.
It should be recalled that the "leadership position" of the Azerbaijani diaspora in the Urals has been associated with criminal cases in recent years:
Şahin Şıxlinski, the long-standing leader of our diaspora, was sent to a pre-trial detention center on charges of involvement in an assassination attempt and violence against the police.
Subsequently, Vidadi Mustafayev, a figure from Russian ruling structures, was elected chairman. This individual, who declared himself a leader, was also arrested shortly thereafter on charges of fraud.
It appears that Russian official circles have decided on the most tried-and-tested option to end this chaos within the diaspora – promoting a cadre from their own system.
Kərim Qasımov himself states that he does not intend to remain in this position for long, and will merely "lay the foundation" and pass on the baton. However, it remains a significant question whether this "foundation" will serve the national interests of Azerbaijanis or the administrative methods of local power structures.
The colonel's promises of "unification and adaptation," coming from Boradigah settlement in Masally and having spent most of his life in the Russian police system, may in fact signify the placement of our compatriots in the Urals under stricter administrative control.
