Azerbaijani activists treat sentence for murder of Avaz Khafizli as lenient

In Baku, a court sentenced a defendant accused of murdering Avaz Shikhmamedov (Khafizli), a reporter and public figure, to 9.5 years of imprisonment. The court did not take into account that the crime was committed on the basis of hatred towards sexual minorities and imposed the punishment that was inadequate to the severity of the crime, the activists noted.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that Azerbaijani journalist Avaz Shikhmamedov, known as Avaz Khafizli, was killed in February 2022, and his cousin Amrulla Gyulalyev was suspected of the crime. Avaz Khafizli spoke out in defence of the rights of sexual minorities, which caused discontent in his family, colleagues of the murdered man noted. Public prosecutor requested the court to sentence the defendant to 10.5 years of imprisonment. Activists considered such a punishment too lenient, and a brother of the murdered – too severe.

LGBT activist Ali Melikov treats the verdict as lenient. “The murder was committed with particular cruelty and motivated by hatred,” the LGBT activist said.

He added that many activists were afraid to attend the trials. “The society will be free when the freedoms of LGBT people are also provided,” Ali Melikov believes.