Annual Review – Azerbaijan I

ILGA-Europe’s Annual Review, covering the LGBTI situatin in Azerbaijan in 2019.

This annaul review cover the time period of 2019 from January to December. The Annual Review was prepared by ILGA-Europe and Azerbaijani human rights defenders specialised on LGBTI and queer rights. 

Please find first part of the annual review below. We will share the review by partially. 

ASYLUM

The personal account of an Azerbaijani asylum seeker, living in fear and uncertainty in Germany was published in December.

BIAS-MOTIVATED SPEECH

In February, Aynur Sofiyeva, Deputy Chairperson of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs, made homophobic remarks at an event, criticising the West for trying to impose same-sex marriage on others.

BIAS-MOTIVATED VIOLENCE

Hate crimes against the LGBT community continued to be a serious issue this year. In February, the European Court of Human Rights communicated the A v. Azerbaijan case and 24 other applications to the government, condemning the 2017 raids, where over 80 LGBTQ people were detained, many tortured and abused.

On 1 April, at least eight gay men and trans sex workers were detained by the police in Baku, signaling a new wave of arrests of LGBTQ people. Most were lured to a meeting by undercover police, who took them into custody. A few days later at least seven more were detained, some in their homes. Many were forcibly subjected to STI testing. Some were fined under Article 510 of the Code on Administrative Offenses (minor hooliganism) and others were sentenced to 10-30 days of prison under Article 535.1 (disobedience to a lawful order by police officers).

“They called us to the meeting place, then they pulled out handcuffs and took us to the police departments.” - victim of the raids to Minority Azerbaijan.

On 2 April, a gay sex worker became a victim of extortion, theft, and blackmail in Baku. The perpetrator was detained.

On 28 June, five trans women were physically assaulted by a group of 15 on a beach in Mardakan. Four of the attackers have been arrested.

On 6 July, a trans person was attacked outside a club while waiting for a taxi. The attacker was drunk and aggressive, asking questions about the victim’s gender identity. The case was not reported to the police.

In September, a gay man was beaten, harassed, and expelled from his village by his family for “dishonouring” them. The man reported the violence and a rape he was victim of last year. The men who raped him took photos of the brutal act, which surfaced this year.