After alleged killing, transgender protesters rally in Baku

Nine transgender protesters held a demonstration in front of the office of the Human Rights Defender after the alleged killing of a trans woman in Baku.

The protesters, who rallied on the night of 24 August, said they were holding a rally for a 27-year-old trans woman, a resident of the Aghdam region, who they say was murdered and whose body was burned on 22 August in the Puta settlement of Baku’s Garadagh district

Her body was found the following day. 

The Interior Ministry has not yet released any information about the death. Local media report that a resident of the Agjabadi region was detained by police as a suspect. 

While officials have confirmed a person involved in the alleged crime has been detained, they have not released a name nor any personal information.  

Protesters are also demanding to be shown the victim’s forensic report. 

‘Crush you like a fly’ 

Protesters also alleged that Sevinj Huseynova, a popular Instagrammer in Azerbaijan, incited her followers into committing violence against transgender people. Huseynova has previously railed against Azerbaijan’s transgender community, and called for them to be ‘isolated from society’.

On 25 August Huseynova responded to the allegations on her social media account, writing that she had ‘no responsibility’ for the death, and that it was the fault of the trans woman for ‘choosing a way of life and commiting a sin’. 

‘People are protesting and demanding my arrest. Why ?! Because I am the only person in this country who raised my voice to put an end to this shame’, she wrote.  ‘If you continue like this, then the people will stand behind me and stand up and crush you like a fly.’