Chechen Woman Returned from Georgia Possibly Killed in Honor Crime, Rights Group Says
Aliya Ozdamirova, a 33-year-old Chechen woman, was possibly killed in an honor crime after she was “deceived or forcibly removed” from Georgia to Chechnya, North Caucasus (NC) SOS, a human rights group, reported on November 13.
According to the organization, which is assisting the LGBTQ+ people who are facing threats in Russia’s North Caucasus, the funeral of Ozdamirova, “who fled Chechnya due to threats,” took place on November 12.
The group said Ozdamirova fled after relatives, including her cousins and brother, allegedly learned about her sexual orientation. “She claimed that certain people, including her cousins, had learned about her sexual orientation and that the threat came from them and her brother. Aliya left for Istanbul, from where she traveled to Georgia,” the group said.
NC SOS, however, noted that “It is unclear whether her forced return and possible murder were related to her sexual orientation or to her family’s dissatisfaction with her business problems.” According to the group, Ozdamirova’s brothers beat her “because her business partners owed money to investors and accused Aliya of stealing it,” but “Aliya did not have this money” at the time of her escape.
According to the group, Ozdamirova was possibly lured into a trap by her “lawyer friend” and an uncle from Baku, who convinced her that “a criminal case had allegedly been opened against her for ‘financing terrorism’ and that she would now be unable to leave Georgia.” The uncle reportedly promised to resolve problems at the border, delaying Ozdamirova’s departure to a safer country against warnings from human rights activists who were assisting her.
“According to our information, Aliya crossed the Georgian-Russian border on November 9. Rumors spread the following day that she had died,” NC SOS said, adding that the report was confirmed on November 12, when the funeral took place. “Friends and acquaintances of the girl, as well as human rights activists from SK SOS, believe that Aliya was the victim of an ‘honor killing’,” the group noted.
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