Baku resident detained after threats against LGBT people

Roman Mamedov, 39, a resident of Baku, has recorded a video with threats against LGBT activists, after which he was detained by the police; and a criminal case was opened against him for hooliganism, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (NIA) has reported. Mamedov's actions can be qualified much harder than hooliganism, Elchin Sadygov, a lawyer, believes.

On July 5, a video was circulated in the Azerbaijani segment of social networks, in which a man threatened LGBT people with violence. A 34 second threatening video was posted in the TikTok social network. In its footage, a man with a beard walks along the platform of one of Baku metro stations, swearing that he will cut off the head of those who "behave like a woman in their manners," apparently referring to LGTB activists.

The man who pronounced threats against LGBT people in a video has been detained, a source from the Azeri MIA has informed, adding that the detainee was the 39-year-old Roman Mamedov. A criminal case was opened against him under the article on hooliganism.

In Mamedov's actions, there are attributes of a more serious crime than hooliganism, Elchin Sadygov, a member of the Azerbaijan Bar Association, believes.

"There are all signs of a prepared murder. Since there is a fact of acquiring a tool for committing a crime; and, in particular, the man demonstrates an axe that he intends to use for murder. It is under this article – a murder preparation – that the man should be held accountable," Mr Sadygov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 6, 2022 at 06:20 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.