BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 20. The executive
director of Sputnik Azerbaijan, detained in Baku, has been released
and returned to Russia, Trend reports citing informed sources.
Igor Kartavykh, who was under arrest, has been released and
returned to Russia. In exchange for him, the Russian side released
Mammedali Agayev, former director of the Moscow Academic Satire
Theater.
In June, director Igor Kartavykh and editor-in-chief Yevgeny
Belousov were detained in a police operation at the office of the
Sputnik Azerbaijan news agency.
By order of the Khatai District Court, both were remanded in
custody for four months.
They were charged with fraud committed by an organized group,
illegal entrepreneurship resulting in large-scale profits, and
laundering property acquired through criminal activity.
