Labor rights defender Sara Rahimova says she was subjected to sexual harassment at a police station

Feminist, labor rights defender, and member of "Ishchi Masasi" (Workers' Table), Sara Rahimova, has alleged that she was subjected to sexually inappropriate behavior at a police station in February while her fingerprints were being taken. In a statement posted on her Facebook page on October 24, Rahimova detailed the incident, as well as the pressure she has faced—including a reported criminal case opened against her and a travel ban preventing her from leaving the country.

Rahimova writes that she applied to "ASAN Service" because her passport was set to expire on February 21, 2026. There, she was informed that a criminal case had been opened against her, a travel ban had been imposed, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs had refused to issue her a passport. She was taken first to the 28th Police Station, and subsequently to the Sabail District Police Department.

According to her, at the 28th Police Station, she was taken into an inner room—a room within a room—for the purpose of fingerprinting, and the door was locked from the inside. Rahimova writes that attempts were made to touch her while her fingerprints were being taken; she objected and demanded that they not touch her, but this happened several times. She stated that she did not wish to remain in a closed room.

Rahimova alleged that after she was taken out of the room, the individual who had attempted to touch her made remarks such as, "You are beautiful, you are young," and that further attempts to touch her were made while she was being placed into a patrol vehicle. She noted that at the time, she had undergone surgery just one day prior; her stitches had not yet healed, and she was in severe pain as she did not have her medication with her.

Subsequently, she was taken to a room with a flickering light and a foul odor, where she was told, "You’re going to stay here anyway," and the door was locked. Rahimova described this as psychological pressure. At the Sabail District Police Department, she was informed that the investigator was not present.

Rahimova writes that, following this, she was afraid to leave her home for months, felt as though she were being watched outside her residence, and suffered severe psychological trauma. She filed a formal complaint with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In the complaint, she stated, among other things, that she had not been informed of the nature of the criminal case against her and that her statement had not been taken for two years. According to Rahimova, the case was opened in 2024 and is currently being handled by the Baku City Main Police Department. She stated that during a meeting with an investigator at the Sabail District Police Department, she was told, "You are acting against the state," and was informed that the case relates to Articles 178.2.1 (fraud committed by a group acting in prior collusion) and 178.3.2 (fraud causing damage on a large scale) of the Criminal Code.

Rahimova emphasizes that she is not evading the investigation; she has previously complied with summonses and submitted formal requests. However, the frequent summonses to police stations and the treatment she encounters there cause her significant renewed stress. She notes that she is engaged in academic work and that the travel ban also hinders her independent research.

She explained that she had kept the matter private for months because she did not want to divert attention away from the situation of political prisoners, but decided to speak out following the advice of friends. Rahimova demands that the case against her be investigated in a lawful, transparent, and objective manner, and that her rights be upheld.

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