Petition Calls for Transparent Investigation into Death of Aishat Baymurodova

A petition urging Armenian authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the killing of Aishat Baymurodova has gathered 1,000 signatures on Change.org, Orda.kz reports.

As Caucasian Knot reported, the 23-year-old Chechen native fled to Armenia with the help of human rights activists to escape domestic violence.

On October 15, she disappeared after going to meet a friend. Police declared her missing on October 17, and two days later, her body was found in a rented apartment on Demirchyan Street in Yerevan. Baymurodova had also publicly criticized the Kadyrov government, according to the media.

The petition was launched on October 27.

After leaving Russia, she settled in Armenia.

The petition, titled “Justice for Aishat: A Call on Armenia to Conduct a Transparent Investigation,” was posted by North Caucasus SOS, an organization labeled as a “foreign agent” by Russia’s Justice Ministry. 

It states:

We call on the authorities of Armenia to conduct a transparent, thorough, and independent investigation and to take all necessary measures to hold those responsible accountable.

It further demands that the case be investigated “immediately and impartially," emphasizing the importance of identifying not only the perpetrators but also “the motives, accomplices, organizers, and those who ordered the crime.”

The petition also calls for the investigation to be free from any interference or political pressure from the Russian authorities.

Following Baymurodova’s death, Chechnya’s human rights commissioner, Mansur Soltaev, publicly blamed activists for her killing, citing voice messages from her phone, according to The Caucasian Knot.

Online commenters dismissed his claims as absurd and suggested the recordings could have been falsified. Rights groups believe Chechen officials are using the case to intimidate those considering fleeing and discredit activists.

Earlier, 20 Russian human rights groups and activists also appealed to the Armenian government to ensure an open and effective investigation and bring those responsible to justice.