10/11/2025 | Writer: Kaos GL
Forced to return to Azerbaijan after their residence permit in Türkiye expired, Rüzgar was stabbed to death. It is believed that Rüzgar was killed by their uncle.
19 year old Rüzgar was stabbed to death in the middle of the street on November 4 in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.
According to Qıy Vaar, Rüzgar had moved to Türkiye some time ago due to family pressure, but was forced to return to Azerbaijan after their residence permit expired. While in Türkiye, Rüzgar was threatened by their cousin; after returning to Azerbaijan, they told friends that their family was looking for them to kill them.
It is believed that Rüzgar was killed by their uncle because of their sexual orientation.
Qıy Vaar stated that eyewitnesses at the scene did not intervene, and that the police arrived only after receiving a report. It was also reported that doctors did not show due care when intervening.
In its statement, the community said: “We call on public institutions to immediately make a statement on the matter and request the support of the public.”
“We are working to ensure that the incident is treated as a hate crime”
Nafas LGBTI+ also issued a statement following the murder, saying:
“This incident is not a coincidence. This tragedy painfully reveals that LGBTI+ people in Azerbaijan are not protected from domestic violence, social stigma, and an environment of impunity. The failure to recognize hate crimes in Azerbaijan, the lack of protection mechanisms against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and the impunity of hate speech pave the way for and encourage such tragedies. We call on the Nasimi District Prosecutor’s Office to investigate the incident as a hate motivated murder, and on the Ombudsman’s Office to closely monitor Rüzgar’s killing within its mandate and to ensure that the incident is recognized as a hate crime. We urge the media to report on the incident not sensationally, but with an ethical and human rights based approach; and we call on society not to remain silent in the face of this hate crime and to show solidarity in protecting the right to life of LGBTI+ people.”
Tags: human rights, life, family, lgbti
