21-year-old leader of LGBT commits suicide in Azerbaijan
The young activist, chairman of organization of people with different sexual orientations Isa Shahmarly committed suicide in Azerbaijan, reports Azerbaijani "Haqqin.az" news portal. He was 21.
According to information before committing suicide Isa wrote on his Facebook page: “I am leaving. This country, this world is not for me. I go to find happiness."
He blamed everyone in his death, stating that "this world is not strong enough to change its color."
"Isa’s friends called "112" as soon as they read his status, but it was too late. "112" staff could not save the blogger, they found the young man hang in his room," Haqqin.az reports.
Last week, Azerbaijani alliance "Nefes", that brings representatives of nontraditional sexual orientation together, turned to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan in connection with discrimination which was faced by the members of this public association.
The statement reads that during the last 10 days there have been two hatred and intolerance cases. In the first case, the 19-year-old young man could not endure discrimination from his family members and others, and committed suicide. The second case concerns a 17-year-old young man who was brutally raped by eight persons who filmed it on video, and then extorted money from the victim. The young man could not get the required amount, and the video was delivered to his family. His parents beat him and till now there is no news about his fate.
A group of youth movement activists "Dalga" ("Wave") held a rally in Baku on January 19. Flash mob was directed against the recent increase in suicides in Azerbaijan.
The Azerbaijani authorities do not disclose the official statistics on suicides in the country. However, according to the Azerbaijani media at least 21 people have committed suicide since January 2014 in Azerbaijan. There are also three cases of suicide of children under 18.