Husband of singer Raksana asks Russia to repatriate family

Fazil Amiraslanov, the Russian businessman of Azerbaijani origin and husband of detained pop singer Raksana Ismayilova, has appealed to the Russian embassy for help in securing his family's safety and returning them to Russia.

"As a citizen of Russia, I ask the Russian embassy to ensure the safety of my children and me, and to return us to my country," Amiraslanov wrote on Instagram.

Raksana was arrested two days ago on charges of large-scale fraud involving over 1 million manats (about $600,000). Her lawyer, Hikmet Aliyev, has filed an appeal seeking a more lenient pre-trial measure, citing that she is a mother of two underage children and poses no threat to the public. The appeal will be reviewed by the Baku Court of Appeal within two days.