Three Russian citizens placed on international wanted list

A preliminary investigation is ongoing in the criminal case initiated over calls for the forcible change of the constitutional order of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the violation of its territorial integrity, the incitement of national hatred and hostility, as well as public calls for terrorism, the Prosecutor General’s Office told Yeniavaz.com.
During the investigation, it was established that citizens of the Russian Federation — Ivan Andreyevich Knyazev, a journalist and host of the “Moscow 24” TV channel; Semyon Sergeyevich Uralov, who presents himself as a political consultant and media expert in the Russian Federation; and Aleksey Aleksandrovich Chadayev, who works as a television journalist and correspondent and is an adviser to the Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation — are reasonably suspected of making calls for the use of violent methods against the Republic of Azerbaijan, the forcible change of the country’s constitutional order and violation of its territorial integrity, as well as the incitement of national hatred and hostility, during the “Chistota Ponimaniya” program broadcast on the “Semyon Uralov” channel on the YouTube platform on July 14, 2026.
In addition, reasonable suspicions were established that, during a program broadcast on the aforementioned channel on August 13, 2026, the said individuals made public calls for terrorism by expressing views on the use of violent methods against the Republic of Azerbaijan, including keeping certain individuals under the direct threat of physical elimination and specifically targeting them for elimination.
In connection with the fact, the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Azerbaijan initiated a criminal case under Articles 214-2 (public calls for terrorism), 281.2 (public calls directed against the state) and 283.2.1 (incitement of national hatred and hostility) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the preliminary investigation was assigned to the Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office.
Based on the evidence collected, decisions were made to charge Semyon Uralov, Ivan Knyazev and Aleksey Chadayev under Articles 214-2, 281.2 and 283.2.1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan. As the individuals are outside the borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan, they were declared wanted, and pre-trial detention was ordered against them by the relevant court decisions.
At the same time, the Prosecutor General’s Office sent relevant requests to the competent state authorities for the accused persons to be identified and detained on the territory of partner states and handed over to the Republic of Azerbaijan, and necessary measures were also taken to organize their international search through Interpol channels.
The Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan states that decisive legal measures against any unlawful acts directed against the sovereignty, constitutional order and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan will continue to be taken in accordance with the requirements of national legislation and international treaties to which the Republic of Azerbaijan is a party.