French authorities must consider all the possible motives for the killing of an Azerbaijani dissident stabbed to death at his home in eastern France and better protect such exiles, Amnesty International said, France24 reports.
Vidadi Isgandarli, who had received asylum in France, was bitterly critical of Azerbaijan's authorities under President Ilham Aliyev and ran a blog and a widely-followed YouTube channel.
The 62-year-old was attacked while sleeping in his apartment in the eastern city of Mulhouse on Sunday by three masked individuals and died of his wounds on Tuesday, the regional prosecutor's office said.
"The violent death of Vidadi Isgandarli must be effectively and promptly investigated," Natalia Nozadze, Amnesty's researcher for the south Caucasus, said in a statement late Wednesday.
"We call on the French authorities to consider all possible motives for his killing, including his criticism of the Azeri president and government, which was the reason for his exile."
The attack came after another France-based exiled critic of the Azerbaijani authorities, Mahammad Mirzali, was punched and stabbed in March 2021 in the western French city of Nantes.
"This is the second time in recent years that an Azerbaijani living in exile in France has been the victim of a knife attack," said Nozadze.
"The French government must ensure effective protection of individuals at risk who are seeking international protection in France," she said.