IGLYO condemns police raid on queer-friendly venue in Baku

IGLYO, representing LGBTQI+ youth in Europe, has issued a statement regarding the violent raid by Azerbaijani police on a queer-friendly nightclub in Baku on the night of December 26-27, 2025. The statement was supported by Minority Azerbaijan, Nefes LGBTI, Qıy Vaar! and Onlar İylandı.

IGLYO states that during the raid, more than 100 LGBTQI+ people were detained at a police station for more than 10 hours and subjected to degrading treatment. According to eyewitness accounts, those detained faced verbal and physical violence, psychological pressure, insults and humiliating questions. They allegedly made offensive statements about their sexual orientation and gender identity, their mobile phones were confiscated and personal photos and videos were viewed, their fingerprints were taken and they were fined for administrative offenses.

The statement emphasizes that the scale and sequence of the statements raise the possibility of a violation of Azerbaijan’s international law obligations, the prohibition of torture and inhuman treatment, the right to liberty and security, as well as the right to respect for private life.

The IGLYO statement notes that such raids may be aimed at intimidating the queer community, forcing them out of public spaces and into invisibility. Minority Azerbaijan, on the other hand, states that the lack of legal mechanisms in Azerbaijan that explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity increases the risk of such cases going unpunished.

IGLYO strongly condemns the raid and demands an independent and effective investigation into the incident, accountability of those responsible and compensation for the victims. The organization also calls on the international community to break with its silence on this incident, share verified information and publicly express solidarity with the queer community in Azerbaijan.

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