Trans man subjected to police transphobia

On June 29th, trans man Herman experienced violence from their brother and filed a complaint with the police regarding the incident. Herman informed Minority Azerbaijan about the police's behaviour, stating that instead of listening to the complaint, they started mocking the piercing on his lip.

Later, the police took Herman and his brother to the 7th police station in Binagadi district. According to Herman's words, on the way, his brother informed the police about Herman being a trans man, and the behaviour of the police changed. Two individuals and three more police officers who brought them to the station invited Herman and his brother into a room.

"While I was the complainant, they were listening to my brother, interrupting me when I tried to speak about what happened and asking questions to my brother. My brother's assault on me was disregarded, and they started talking about my life story," Herman reports.

According to Herman, he was called "sick" there, and the police tried to provoke him by referring to his former (dead) name as stated in the passport. Herman believes that the police wanted to provoke and agitate him and put all the blame on him.

"The police spoke to me loudly, tried to exert psychological pressure to divert the issue. When I mentioned that I wanted to call my lawyer, they shouted a bit more because I entered the room with my phone."

Herman states that the five police officers in the room together yelled at him, demanding his phone, but he emphasised that he would not give it until he contacted his lawyer and finally managed to make a phone call. Social worker Senuber Heydarova later came to the police station.

"After Senuber's arrival, the police's behaviour towards me changed. They started speaking to me more gently, showing that they were listening to me. I wrote my statement, and when I wanted to leave, my other brother came and stated in front of the police station that he would stab me. I also filed a complaint with the police about this."

Herman mentions that his father also came to the police station and took his brother's side, and no family member supported him.