The Mirror of the last 10 years: LGBTQI+ murders in Azerbaijan

LGBTQI+s in Azerbaijan, particularly trans women, have been facing hate and discrimination for years. Their lives are constantly under threat and filled with the risk of violence, as stated in Queer Radar's latest report.

"The lack of a sufficient data base on LGBTIQ+ issues, particularly regarding acts of violence, creates a significant barrier to fully understanding the scale of the existing problems. Although LGBTIQ+ rights organizations and queer-inclusive media sometimes publicize these issues, information about violence and murders is often presented incompletely. This is due to the media's failure to cover these incidents properly, the disrespectful treatment of victims' gender identities, and the lack of inclusive helpline services for LGBTIQ+ citizens," the report states.

The study covers the years 2013-2023 in order to document violence against LGBTQI+s and better understand the characteristics of these murders.

"According to our media monitoring, between 2013 and 2023, at least 15 LGBTIQ+ citizens were physically attacked with firearms or sharp objects, and 12 were killed. The reason we say 'at least' is because many instances of violence against queers are not documented. Due to the absence of local platforms or organizations focusing on LGBTIQ+ citizens outside of the capital, it is impossible to fully grasp the real situation across the country," the report notes.

Statements collected from the media and court documents indicate that three main justifications are most often used in the murders or stabbings of LGBTQIs+:

1. Viewing being LGBTQI+ as a disgrace and a harmful concept to society. This justification can be heard in crimes committed by personal acquaintances, family members, and even strangers.

2. Honour crime. In these cases, the perpetrators are mostly family members or relatives. The first and second justifications often overlap.

3. Discovering later that the person they were involved with had a different sexual orientation or gender identity. In murders of transgender women, the perpetrators often claim they didn’t know the woman was transgender before killing her, but investigations show that this argument is essentially an attempt to absolve the perpetrators.

Queer Radar notes that most of those who commit these crimes are not held legally accountable, and the media uses these incidents to sensationalize them rather than report them accurately and objectively.

For more detailed information, we invite you to read the full report.

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