As Baku celebrat the end of the Eurovisn Song Contt, which saw Swen's Loreen w wh her song Euphoria, we exame the reali of life of lbian, gay, bisexual and trans people are forced to lead opprsive Azerbaijan.
Contents:
- GAY LIFE AZERBAIJAN
- BEG GAY AZERBAIJAN
- 5 SAFT PLAC FOR GAY TRAVELERS IN 2019 (AND THE MOST DANGERO)
- AZERBAIJAN WORST PLACE TO BE GAY EUROPE, FDS LGBTI X
- FEATURE: THE TTH ABOUT GAY LIFE AZERBAIJAN OUTSI OF THE EUROVISN SONG CONTT
GAY LIFE AZERBAIJAN
In Azerjaijan the crimalizatn of nsensual same-sex male acts occurred 2000; human rights improved. But gays are still closeted. * gay life in azerbaijan *
The year 2000 saw the abolishg of the Azerbaijani law forbiddg homosexual teractns (gay sex). Although homosexual acts between nsentg male adults were officially crimalized, reports about police ab agast gays, maly male prostut, persisted durg the last year. It has been observed that the state ntrolled media outlets e homosexualy as a tool to harass and discred crics of the ernment and opposn journalist.
Homosexualy Azerbaijan is an issue surround by nfn, ignorance, secrecy and a lack of nceptual unrstandg at the most basic level. There is hardly any objective and rrect rmatn on the psychologil, soclogil and legal aspects of homosexualy Azerbaijan, wh the rult that the majory of society simply do not know what homosexualy is. “Comg out” as a gay, lbian, bisexual or transgenr person is therefore rare and dividual LGBT people are aaid of the nsequenc.
BEG GAY AZERBAIJAN
LGBT Azerbaijan * gay life in azerbaijan *
Some, particular those who are fancially pennt and livg Baku, are able to lead a safe life as a LGBT person, as long as they ‘practice’ their homosexualy the private sphere. The age of nsent is equal for both heterosexual and homosexual sex, at 16 years of age.
As of 2009, there are no tablished forms of legally regnized unns for homosexuals. But not all is well for LGBT people Azerbaijan; is, spe some reforms and secularism, still a Mlim-based untry where homophobia has ep roots i the relign. As reported this BBC story, one gay artist was forced to flee his untry bee of persecutn and threats.
5 SAFT PLAC FOR GAY TRAVELERS IN 2019 (AND THE MOST DANGERO)
* gay life in azerbaijan *
Officials Azerbaijan sist gay visors are wele to the 2012 Eurovisn song ntt when the event, which has an enthiastic gay followg, is hosted the pal, Baku.
However, such assuranc jar wh those who have had first-hand experience of how homosexuals are treated Azeri society. “My brother has vowed to kill me, and then kill himself, ” says Babi Badalov (photo right), a radil gay Azeri artist who has recently been granted polil asylum France.
“We knew he was gay, ” says his iend Tora Aghabayova, also an artist. But his applitn failed on the grounds that homosexualy was not illegal Azerbaijan.
AZERBAIJAN WORST PLACE TO BE GAY EUROPE, FDS LGBTI X
Sergey Bagirov is a 35-year-old gay man om Baku. For the past 20 years, he has had no ntact wh his parents. “My problems wh the fay started when I realized that I was gay,” Bagirov said. “At the time, I was somehow ashamed of and nfsed everythg to my parents, pecially bee was necsary to expla why I was beaten at school every day… My father threw me out of the hoe that same day. I was 14 years old. They did not even give me my documents. I am now over 30 years old and still do not have a passport.” * gay life in azerbaijan *
“Homosexualy here is seen as worse than prostutn, ” says Yadigyar Sadykov, a human rights activist om Mr Badalov’s native regn. I have heard of many suicis of spected homosexuals – I have never met an openly gay person around here. “Durg Eurovisn, no-one will bother gay foreigners Baku, ” says Alekper Aliyev, a wrer and an thor of a ntroversial book about a gay relatnship between an Azeri and a man om Armenia, the untry’s historic enemy.
FEATURE: THE TTH ABOUT GAY LIFE AZERBAIJAN OUTSI OF THE EUROVISN SONG CONTT
There are several openly gay celebri Baku who have money and bodyguards, and they are safe. But nothg will change for the majory of gays, particularly the provc. Azeri officials disagree, potg out that Azerbaijan crimalized homosexualy 2001.
“Recently there has been much ill-rmed speculatn by some expatriat about how we treat our homosexual muny, ” says Elnur Aslanov, a senr official om the printial admistratn. “Everyone knows that after midnight not far om this hotel you n get gay sex wh a transvte prostute.
“Everybody’s rights are vlated Azerbaijan, ” says Mr Badalov, “and gays are not an exceptn.