BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 22. Azerbaijan is urging Russian authorities to provide timely and transparent updates on the investigation into the crash of a plane operated by Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), warning that legal steps may be taken if no progress is communicated, Trend reports.
“We hope the Russian side will soon share the status and concrete outcomes of the investigation into the AZAL aircraft crash, as well as information on those held accountable. If not, as President Ilham Aliyev noted, we reserve the right to pursue claims through international courts,” said Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev in a statement to AZERTAC during his visit to Ankara.
Aliyev recalled that Azerbaijan’s prosecution authorities immediately launched a criminal case under relevant articles of the Criminal Code following the incident. Kazakhstan also initiated a case, and Russia’s Investigative Committee has since joined the process.
“One may ask why multiple countries opened criminal cases over the same incident. It’s because the crash affected the interests of all three nations. Citizens of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and other countries were either killed or injured,” he noted.
Aliyev emphasized that Azerbaijan is actively cooperating with both Russia and Kazakhstan on the matter.
“As President Ilham Aliyev stated, we maintain constant contact with the Russian Investigative Committee and have submitted official letters. However, the other side has yet to share any findings, citing ongoing investigative procedures and expert analysis,” he added.
The prosecutor general said Azerbaijan has gathered substantial evidence related to the crash.
“We collected all necessary materials early on. We have a clear understanding of how the incident occurred and its causes. We’re also coordinating closely with Kazakhstan. Recently, members of our investigative team visited Kazakhstan for a working meeting with colleagues. We are also in contact with the Brazilian prosecution, as the Embraer-190 aircraft was manufactured there,” he stated.
Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel