"Azerbaijan: suspicious fires in shopping centers and unreleased investigation results", 16 June 2025

The latest incident occurred at the well-known Karvan shopping centre in the city of Sumgait...Although the results of the investigation have not been disclosed, the fire has, as usual, been attributed to faulty electrical wiring...

The Diglas shopping centre attracted attention not only for its commercial significance but also due to its political connections...

Following the fire, an investigative commission was formed on the orders of the Prime Minister. However, to this day, no public report has been released regarding its findings. The cause of the fire and whether anyone was held accountable remain unknown — despite hundreds of entrepreneurs losing their goods and the economy suffering significant damage...

One theory circulating in public opinion is that the Diglas fire was not merely a technical accident but part of a broader process aimed at weakening the economic structures associated with the former minister’s family. Official bodies have neither confirmed nor denied these claims.

Although plans were announced to construct a new shopping centre on the site following the fire, no investigation findings have been made public. Nor has there been any official denial of links between Eldar Mahmudov or his son and the property...

Experts link the frequent fires at commercial properties both to poor technical safety measures and to a lack of transparency regarding insurance and property ownership...

According to Azerbaijan’s 1997 Law on Fire Safety, the State Fire Supervision Service is responsible for investigating and determining the causes of fires. However, there is no legal requirement to present these findings to the public. As a result, key facts often remain in the shadows, even after incidents that provoke widespread public concern...