Police use force to detain activist Mekhtieva in Baku

The family of a minor Azerbaijani activist has failed to achieve an inquiry into the rape for a year already; the girl's mother treats it as a political order and revenge for her daughter's activeness in defending women's rights. Gyulnara Mekhtieva, a feminist, was detained for the demand to bring her companion's rapist to justice.

On Tuesday (October 19), Gyulnara Mekhtieva staged a solo protest action in front of the presidential administration building. She claimed that the country's leadership must ensure that the culprit is punished.

Policemen took her poster away and brought the young woman to some unknown place. According to her story, law enforcers used force against her during the detention.

"I believe that they deliberately don't punish the rapist ... The girl is being avenged for her active advocacy for women's rights from her young age," Ms Mekhtieva has stated.

The girl's mother said that in August 2020, a relative put drugs on her daughter and then raped her. Then, relatives tried to persuade her "not to make a fuss and not to dishonour them," and to get married.

Zibeida Sadygova, an advocate, has pointed to investigators' bias.