Yerevan: Body of Chechen Woman Who Fled Family Found in Rented Apartment

On October 20, police in Yerevan discovered the body of a 23-year-old Chechen woman, Aishat Baymurodova, in a rented apartment, Orda.kz reports.

Baymurodova had been missing since October 17. The day before her disappearance, she met with her friend Karina Iminova, whom she had previously met online.

Human Rights Activists Raise Concerns

The human rights organization Crisis Group SK SOS said that among the girls’ social media followers, they identified people connected to Ramzan Kadyrov.

Karina was born in Kyrgyzstan and has no ties to Dagestan, but judging by her driving tickets, she visited Chechnya. Iminova also communicated with others who had left Chechnya and invited them to meetings. Karina stopped communicating immediately after Aishat's disappearance. She later deleted her WhatsApp account. According to unconfirmed reports, Karina has already left Armenia...
 the organization said in its publication.

Reaction 

Following reports of Aishat’s death, spontaneous memorials appeared in the Armenian capital.

Russian activist Daniil Chebykin, who lives in Armenia, wrote on Facebook that a makeshift memorial to Aishat had been set up near the Russian Embassy.

Investigation Ongoing

According to the Armenian Ministry of Internal Affairs, an investigation is underway, and forensic examinations have been ordered.

Baymurodova had previously fled Russia with the help of human rights organizations assisting women escaping domestic violence in the North Caucasus.

Similar Cases

Earlier this year, Orda.kz reported on Elza Soltaeva, another woman who fled Chechnya after suffering abuse by relatives. She traveled to Kazakhstan, where she was detained by police.

Following public outcry, authorities returned her documents, stopped pressuring her to reunite with her family, and allowed her to leave for safety.

At the same time, Chechen opposition activist Mansur Movlaev received asylum-seeker status in Kazakhstan.

Movlaev fled a secret prison in Chechnya in 2022 and illegally crossed into Kyrgyzstan without documents or legal status. In 2023, a court in Bishkek sentenced him to six months and ordered his deportation after serving his term.

On May 13, Movlaev was detained at Almaty’s Esentai Mall at the request of Russia. He later filed a request for asylum in Kazakhstan, which was later extended.

Original Author: Elizaveta Azarenka