Since last January, a 26-year-old Azerbaijani man was in Greece before being arrested near the Souda military base on espionage charges. Authorities are investigating potential ties to his compatriot holding a British passport, who is detained in Cyprus on similar charges. The Azerbaijani arrived in Greece by air and had taken at least 5,000 photographs of strategic locations. Since June 18, he resided in the hotel room where he was arrested, having booked it for a month.
Despite being questioned, the suspect has refused to provide any information to Greek authorities and declined the appointment of a lawyer, claiming he has his own legal representation. Yesterday (June 23, 2025), he requested and received an extension to prepare his defense, denying all accusations against him.
According to police sources, the individual stayed secluded in his hotel room since June 18, only leaving to purchase essential supplies. He specifically requested a balcony with a view of Souda Bay and the military base. Born in Azerbaijan in 1999, the suspect held a Polish residency permit and had been in Greece since early January. Fluent in Turkish and Russian, he primarily speaks Russian.
Upon his arrest, authorities discovered a mobile phone, USB drives, a camera, and a laptop containing 5,000 photographic files in his room. Specialized encryption software was also found on the laptop, which may have been used to send images to an unidentified recipient. In the coming hours, the young man is expected to appear before the Chania prosecutor on espionage charges.