Baku: feminists demand to investigate crimes against women

On International Women's Day, a group of feminists held a march in Baku demanding from the authorities to take measures to prevent domestic violence and actively protect women's rights. The police cordoned off a group of activists.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that for the first time feminists in Baku tried to hold an action against violence on March 8, 2019. Then, law enforcers dispersed them.

"In 2021, and in the first two months of 2022, we were shocked by the news of brutal murders of women, sexual abuse of minors and early marriages. Most of these cases occurred due to inaction of the state... In 2021, at least 72 women were killed; of them, 43 % were killed by their husbands," the organizers have explained.

State bodies fail to report on the reasons of women's murders, said Gyulnara Mekhtieva, a member of the organizing committee of the action.

Back in March 2021, Sevindj Magerramova, a resident of the Zira village, complained of beatings by her husband. On August 3, it became known that she was killed. According to investigators, after a quarrel, she tried to hide from her husband in a neighbour's house, but her husband broke in there and killed her.

Women's inequality is still strong in the Azerbaijani society, Elnara, a participant in the action, ha stated. "Girls are taught humility before men ... As a result, they can't choose their favourite professions; their beloved life partners. They are married off at parents' choice; and then conflicts and beatings begin in the family," said Elnara.

The increase in the number of domestic crimes against women was noticed by Vafa Rustam, a lawyer. In her opinion, the reason for this is the atmosphere of impunity for violence.