January 08 2026, 08:15 
International LGBTQ+ rights advocates are calling for an investigation following a brutal police raid on an LGBTQ+ friendly venue in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, late last month.
According to Azerbaijani LGBTQ+ outlet Qıy Vaar!, which first reported on the raid, police detained around 106 people at Baku’s Labyrinth nightclub. Those detained were reportedly forced to remain outside in freezing temperatures for over 12 hours without warm clothing, water, or access to bathrooms.
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In a December 29 Instagram post, international LGBTQ+ advocacy organization ILGA-Europe reported that police arrived at the venue in buses and detained people in large groups.
Kiy Vaara, who was reportedly among those detained, described the experience as “traumatic” according to Pink News.
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“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.
It’s unclear why authorities raided the club, or why they detained its patrons. As Pink News notes, homosexuality has been legal in Azerbaijan since 2000. However, ILGA-Europe ranks the country second to last among 49 European countries for its legal and policy practices regarding LGBTQ+ rights. The only country with a worse ranking is Russia.
Both Qıy Vaar! and ILGA-Europe released statements denouncing the raid.
“We know the perpetrators. The system that has ignored our rights for years, that does not prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the legislation, that has ousted the LGBTQ+ community from their places and forced them into invisibility, is the main culprit of this violence,” an English translation of Qıy Vaar’s statement reads, according to Pink News. “The Ministry of Internal Affairs must conduct an urgent, independent and transparent investigation into the allegations of violence, degrading treatment, arbitrary detention, bribery, sexual violence and torture against 106 people detained at the Nasimi District Police Department.”
ILGA-Europe’s statement, shared on Instagram, expressed the group’s deep concern over the raid.
“We stand in solidarity with the LGBTI community in Azerbaijan and support our member organisation in Azerbaijan, Qiy Vaar’s call for an urgent investigation and a public statement by the authorities,” the statement read. “Human rights and dignity must be upheld for everyone in Azerbaijan.”
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