A 2001 Baku café murder reveals a deadly feud and conspiracy
A violent feud in 2001 led to the murder of Yunis Pashaev at a Baku café. The attack involved multiple assailants, including the Safarov brothers, who acted in retaliation for a personal conflict. Court testimony later revealed a wider conspiracy linked to local football captain Shakhin Shykhlinsky.
On 15 May 2001, Shakhin Shykhlinsky was at the Ural sports complex with Akif and Bakir Safarov. Around the same time, his associates monitored Yunis Pashaev's movements, tracking his arrival at the Metallon café. Once there, Pashaev was stabbed repeatedly by the Safarov brothers. The assault was later described as revenge for a dispute involving Akif Safarov.
Survivor Fekhruz Shirinov testified that a meeting had taken place to plan Pashaev's murder. Among those present was Novruz Abbasov, known as Zaur. Shirinov's own life was later targeted when Elman Suleimanov was hired to kill him using a modified IZH-79 gas pistol.
The violence did not end there. Suleimanov later demanded money to stay silent, which led to Turan Kanoev assaulting and killing him. Meanwhile, Shykhlinsky—who also captained the Kaspiy football team—was accused of ordering the Safarov brothers to arrange Shirinov's murder. His son, Mutvaly Shykhlinsky, now faces separate charges for allegedly attacking a law enforcement officer.
The case exposed a chain of retaliatory killings tied to personal grudges and organised planning. Several individuals, including the Safarov brothers and Shykhlinsky, were implicated in the crimes. Investigations into related assaults and murders remain ongoing.
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