"Kiy Vaara, who was reportedly among those detained, described the experience as "traumatic" according to . "When I close my eyes, I remember the faces of the police like a nightmare," Vaara said. "Even though I begged to go to the toilet several times, they wouldn't let me in. In that cold, without a jacket, I peed on my pants, and the urine froze on me.""
"Detainees were later taken to the Nasimi District Police Department, according to Pink News. ILGA-Europe reports that detainees were photographed and fingerprinted, and authorities collected personal data. Detainees also reported physical violence and threats of extortion from police who reportedly demanded bribes in exchange for release and pressured detainees to testify against each other. ILGA-Europe also reported one case of sexual violence."
Police detained around 106 people at the Labyrinth nightclub in Baku. Detainees were held outside in freezing temperatures for more than 12 hours without warm clothing, water, or bathroom access. Many detainees were later taken to the Nasimi District Police Department, where they were photographed, fingerprinted, and had personal data collected. Detainees reported physical violence, threats of extortion, demands for bribes, pressure to testify against one another, and at least one alleged instance of sexual violence. Homosexuality has been legal in Azerbaijan since 2000, yet legal and policy protections for LGBTQ+ people rank near the bottom in Europe. International LGBTQ+ rights advocates are calling for an investigation into the raid and treatment of detainees.
Read at LGBTQ Nation
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