Happy Pride Month! 🇦🇿🏳️‍🌈

Happy Pride Month, dear Azerbaijani co-nationals. In 2026, it is important to reflect on the ongoing human rights situation faced by Azerbaijani LGBTQ+ people. According to ILGA-Europe, Azerbaijan remains one of the two worst countries in Europe for LGBTQ+ people and is consistently ranked at the bottom alongside Russia.

In November 2025, a 19-year-old Azerbaijani queer man, Rüzgar (Yasin İbadov), was killed in central Baku by his uncle Babək İbadov for the identityhe was born with and cannot change. His death reflects the severe vulnerability Azerbaijani queer individuals face even within their own families in literal capital of the country.

In 27 December 2025, a police raid targeted a queer-friendly venue in Baku, where 100+ queer people were detained without any charges. Some foreign nationals were later released, while local citizens were demanded bribery and if not paid threatened with imprison and abuse.

There have also been public statements from some political figures like MP Javanshir Pashazadeh calling for harsh punishment against LGBTQ+ individuals, who called the lgbt as the main threat to the country.

New Social Media Morality Law specially targets openly queer people.

At the same time, LGBTQ+ people in Azerbaijan continue to face rape, sexual abuse, torture, discrimination, harassment in many areas of life, including workplaces, education, military service, and interactions with authorities.

It is important to remember that around 10 percent of people worldwide may identify as LGBTQ+, which means many Azerbaijani families already include queer members, whether visible or not. This is not only a queer issue. It is a human rights issue. You do not need to be LGBTQ+ to stand for Pride. Allyship matters. Listening matters. Protection matters. Change begins with the younger generation choosing empathy over silence.

Happy Pride Month, and solidarity with all who cannot safely say these words aloud.