Armenia’s Investigative Committee has launched a criminal case into the killing of Aishat Baymuradova, a 23-year-old woman from Chechnya who fled to Armenia to escape domestic violence and was later found dead in Yerevan.
Authorities say the case was opened on suspicion of premeditated murder.
According to investigators, the case involves two suspects against whom arrest warrants have been issued. Their names have not been disclosed, but rights groups say investigators are aware of their identities. The suspects were reportedly not on the wanted list prior to the killing and may have left Armenia.
Baymuradova’s body was found on 20 October in a rented apartment in central Yerevan, five days after she went missing. Friends said she had gone for a walk on the evening of 15 October and never returned.
Human rights activists believe her death was an ‘honour killing’, linked to her attempt to flee an abusive marriage in Chechnya. One of the suspects is believed to be a 30-year-old Chechen man, Said-Khamzat Baysarov, who had previously been accused in Russia of financing the Islamic State. CCTV footage reportedly showed two people leaving the building where her body was discovered, including a woman who had met with Baymuradova the day before her death.
The case has caused outrage among local and international activists, who warn that women fleeing violence in the North Caucasus remain unsafe even after finding refuge abroad. Meanwhile, Chechen Human Rights Commissioner Mansur Soltaev has blamed human rights groups for Baymuradova’s death, accusing them of manipulating vulnerable women and ‘discrediting family values’. His comments have been widely condemned by NGOs as an attempt to deflect responsibility.
Elizaveta Chukharova
Rights defenders in Armenia and Russia have urged Yerevan to carry out a transparent investigation and to prevent interference from outside forces. In a joint appeal to Armenian officials, more than 20 human rights organisations demanded that the probe be handled solely by Armenian law enforcement agencies, and that those responsible, including any organisers, be brought to justice through international arrest warrants if necessary.
Activists have also called on the government to ensure the safety of women seeking refuge in Armenia. At a rally in Yerevan after Baymuradova’s death, Alipat Sultanbekova, a Russian activist who moved to Armenia to escape prosecution, emphasised that ‘foreigners tied to Chechen security services should not act here with impunity’.
No new details have been released by the authorities regarding the suspects or the timeline of the case. Baymuradova’s body is still in Yerevan awaiting burial.
Elizaveta Chukharova
