A group of feminists held a protest action in front of the Khatai district police department on August 4. They were holding posters “Killer Sevinj is the state!” and doused the doors with red paint. The action was held in connection with the death of Sevinj Maharramova, who was killed the day before by her husband.
The participants recalled that Maharramova had previously been beaten by her husband, but no action was taken against the rapist. “Instead of arresting the rapist, they tried to persuade her to make peace. For two months, no action was taken to detain her husband. The woman’s blood is on the hands of the police and the red paint symbolizes this,” said one of the protesters.
Police officers took the posters away from the feminists, and in response, they began to chant the slogan “The killings of women are political in nature.”
Journalists covering the action reported about the detention of activists Gulnara Mehdiyeva, Sevgi Ismailbeyli, Narmin Shahmarzade and journalists Ulviya Ali and Nargiz Absamalova.
The head of the media and public relations department of the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Elshad Hajiyev told Turan that no one was detained at the rally, and physical pressure on journalists and activists was not justified.