Russia’s Prosecutor General demands confiscation of local Daghestani MP’s assets worth $11 million
The Prosecutor General's Office of Russia has filed a lawsuit against Murtuzali Murtuzaliev, a member of Daghestan’s Parliament, his civil partner Zhaneta Azizova, and her uncle, businessperson Shikhkerim Ragimov. The agency is demanding all real estate and movable property — reportedly worth ₽850 million ($11 million) — be transferred to the state.
A preliminary hearing was held on 19 November — only a representative of Azizova was present. The representative informed the court that Murtuzaliev was absent due to being summoned by Daghestani Head Sergei Melikov; he did not comment on the substance of the claim.
Following the session, the Daghestani Parliament declined to answer journalists’ questions.
According to data provided to the Russian media outlet RBC by a source familiar with the content of the claim, the Prosecutor General's Office Office carried out an inspection together with Daghestan’s Prosecutor General’s Office. Its results indicated that between 2006 and 2023, Murtuzaliev and his civil partner had a combined income of around ₽55 million ($680,000).
According to the agency, Murtuzaliev received ₽26 million ($320,000) as an MP and as an employee of Daghestan’s State Road Authority (Daghestanavtodor), while Azizova received ₽29.3 million ($360,000), though it was not listed through what means.
At the same time, it is claimed that Murtuzaliev acquired property worth at least ₽376 million ($4.6 million). Later, the market value of the property increased to an estimated ₽850 million ($11 million). Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office believes that the acquired assets were registered both in Murtuzaliev’s name and in the names of his relatives, which allowed them not to be included in mandatory declarations.
According to the lawsuit, the Prosecutor General's Office asks the court to transfer to the state eight land plots, five houses, two flats, three non-residential buildings, as well as a Lexus LX570. Among the listed properties are a residential house in Zhukovka near Rublyovo-Uspenskoye Highway in the Moscow region, and an estate in the village of Primorsky in Daghestan.
According to the office, in 2015 a residential house and a plot of 725 square metres in Makhachkala were registered in the name of Murtuzaliev’s son, Murad Murtuzaliev. In 2016–2017, a six-storey office building of more than 2,000 square metres was constructed on this plot. The Prosecutor General's Office assessed the cost of the construction at around ₽110 million ($1.4 million).
In 2019, according to the Prosecutor General’s Office, a sale-and-purchase deal for ₽800,000 ($10,000) was executed between Murad Murtuzaliev and Shikhkerim Ragimov. As a result, the property was transferred to Ragimov, whose declared income from 2005 to 2021 amounted to ₽150,000 ($1,800). The Prosecutor General's Office considered the deal fictitious.
A court hearing on the merits of the claim is scheduled for 19 December at Moscow’s Dorogomilovsky Court. No other information about the proceedings has been reported at this time.
Murtuzali Murtuzaliev headed the state institution Daghestanavtodor from 2010 to 2013. Since 1999, he has been an MP in Daghestan from the A Just Russia faction — he currently serves on the committee for culture, youth affairs, sport, and tourism, as well as on the commission overseeing the accuracy of income and asset declarations required from MPs.
In June Murtuzaliev received the medal ‘The people and the army are united’ for participation in humanitarian assistance to military personnel.
According to the corporate register, Azizova was a co-founder of the company Daghestan Tobacco Factory together with Murtuzaliev’s brother, Shakhavtudin Murtuzaliev. The company was liquidated in 2020. No other information about her is provided in the case materials.
Elizaveta Chukharova
