Russian Journalist Released from Custody in Baku

October 20, 2025 – Russia –

A Russian journalist detained in Azerbaijan earlier this year has been released and has returned to Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced.

The individual, Igor Kartavykh, executive director of the Russian state-affiliate agency Sputnik Azerbaijan, was arrested in June in Baku as part of a broader operation targeting the outlet amid escalating diplomatic tensions between Moscow and Baku.

Kartavykh’s release reportedly follows high-level diplomatic discussions between Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev held in Dushanbe. One source cited by Reuters suggested the deal included the release of a detained Azerbaijani national in Russia.

Upon release, Kartavykh was transferred from detention to house arrest and subsequently flew back to Moscow. The Azerbaijani authorities had charged him with fraud and illegal business activities tied to the operations of Sputnik’s Baku office — allegations the media outlet described as politically motivated.

The case has drawn attention as reflective of how media organizations, especially state-affiliated ones, can become intertwined in wider geopolitical and diplomatic-legal disputes. Kartavykh’s arrest and subsequent release illustrate both the risks faced by journalists operating abroad and how such detentions may serve as leverage in international negotiations.

While the journalist is free and has returned to Russia, it remains unclear whether the charges against him will be dropped or further pursued, and what lasting impact the detention may have on media operations, diplomatic channels between the two countries, or the climate for foreign (or foreign-affiliated) journalists in Azerbaijan.

Reference –

https://www.rt.com/russia/626693-russian-journalist-released-in-baku/

https://dailynews.co.tz/russian-journalist-returns-home-from-baku-after-months-under-arrest/