Victims of Azerbaijan’s anti-LGBT+ crackdown have described how they were arrested and tortured by local authorities because of their gender or sexuality.
Reports that police officers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs had conducted unprovoked raids, arresting over 100 gay and trans people in Baku.
has spoken to victims—whose identities have been concealed—about what happened after they were targeted by police.
“They made me sign documents that were already filled in and also blank documents,” one person says on camera, their face hidden and voice distorted.
“They asked if ‘clients’ I am seeing are wealthy. I told them I am not seeing clients, I'm just gay.”
Another man, who was held for nine days described the torture methods that were used on him in detention.
“They gave me electric shocks,” he says. “They beat me with a stick on my knees. I couldn’t move afterwards.”
International organisations have condemned the alleged violent targeting of the LGBT+ community—including ILGA’s Europe director, Evelyne Paradis.
“There is no justification for this indiscriminate targeting of people perceived to be members of the LGBTI community,”
“It is a clear and serious breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.”
Another victim told Radio Free Europe that they are terrified every time they leave the house.
“Since this happened, wherever I go, the first thing I do is look around to see if people from the police station are there, or people are behaving suspiciously because they could be police as well,” they say.
“I feel afraid if someone stares at me.”
The Nefes LGBT Azerbaijan Alliance—a German-based group led by Azerbaijani activist Javid Nabiyev—have reported that the raids had spread from the capital, Baku to the second largest city in the country, Ganja.
“As the victims (three people) say the police took them to the police station, humiliated (made them get naked) beat and then called their parents,” the group .
“They have been warned to leave the city, because they are not wanted there. The police also told them that a few days ago they have arrested three more people like them (homosexuals) and Ganja is not a place for such kind of lifestyle.
“The victims got released after two hours of detention, and only after their parents came to the police station.
“We are currently working on getting more information on this matter.”
