Yasin Ibadov (also known as Ruzgar), a 19-year-old queer Azerbaijani national, was stabbed to death in the city centre of Baku late at night on Wednesday, the pro-government media outlet Qafqazinfo reported.
‘Ibadov was taken to the hospital with severe cuts and puncture wounds, however, his life could not be saved’, wrote Qafqazinfo.
The publication wrote that Ibadov’s uncle, 38-year-old Babak Ibadov, has been arrested as a suspect in the murder.
Babak Ibadov has a prior criminal record and is thought by investigators to have planned the murder in advance. His motive was not mentioned by the outlet, but it has been widely speculated to be connected to Yasin Ibadov’s sexual orientation.
Yasin Ibadov had returned to Azerbaijan from Turkey in the summer and underwent surgery in Baku.
Following the news reports, activists took to social media to criticise the authorities for failing to act effectively.
Civil rights activist Aykhan Zayedzadeh wrote on X that those who gathered at the scene did not call the police, who only arrived after the perpetrator — likely referring to Babak Ibadov — had called them. Zayedzadeh said that by the time doctors reached Yasin Ibadov for treatment, the teenager was already dead.
Qiy Vaar, a social media platform for the queer community in Azerbaijan, claimed that the ‘doctors had failed to pay sufficient attention’ to the victim's condition.
‘We call on government agencies to immediately issue a statement on this matter and ask for public support’, Qiy Vaar concluded.
Qafqazinfo said the investigation is being conducted by the Nasimi District Prosecutor’s Office, but did not provide any further details.
Authorities often remain quiet when hate crimes are committed against queer people in Azerbaijan.
When a trans woman was killed in Baku in March 2024, the news of death was primarily shared by the queer community, with government-affiliated media refraining from covering the crime.
In 2022, queer journalist Avaz Hafizli was killed by his cousin in his home. The murderer was sentenced to nine years in prison in July of that year.
In late October, the Council of Europe noted that ‘no steps have been taken’ by Azerbaijan in fulfilling its recommendation for Azerbaijan to establish a data-collection system for cases of racist and queerphobic hate speech and hate crime.
Azerbaijan ranks as the second worst country in Europe for queer rights after Russia, scoring at 2.25%.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated with the correct photo of Yasin Ibadov.
Aytan Farhadova
