Human rights defenders associate violence against Sevgiya Ismailova in Azerbaijan with Caucasian traditions

The bullying of Sevgiya Ismailova by her relatives in Azerbaijan is based on typical parents' desire in the Caucasus to make decisions for their children, believe Svetlana Gannushkina, the head of the "Civic Assistance Committee", and Igor Kochetkov, the head of the "Russian LGBT Network". Sevgiya Ismailova claimed a psychological trauma had been inflicted on her.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Sevgiya Ismailova, an 18-year-old Russian citizen, who escaped from her family members in Azerbaijan after they bullied her, arrived from Baku to Moscow on January 19. According to her, she was beaten in her family since childhood. Sevgiya Ismailova also said that so far she did not want to communicate with her relatives.

"There was an attempt by parents to make a decision for Sevgiya and cruelty motivated by homophobia," said Igor Kochetkov, the head of the "Russian LGBT Network".

Svetlana Zakharova, a member of the "Russian LGBT Network", notes that homophobia is widespread in Russia as well as in the Caucasus. "Terrible stories occur throughout Russia, but they remain untold most often," Svetlana Zakharova said.

"In Azerbaijan, parents very often impose their will on their children ... There are thousands of cases when parents force girls to get married and they run away or commit suicide," Adul Novruzov wrote on the "Oxu" website.