We, Russian human rights defenders and organizations, express our deep outrage and sorrow over the brutal murder of 23-year-old Aishat Baymuradova, a native of the Chechen Republic, who was found dead on October 19, 2025, in Yerevan. We call on Armenia to fully comply with international human rights standards by conducting an effective investigation and taking all necessary measures to bring those responsible to justice.
In January 2025, Ms. Baymuradova fled the Chechen Republic to escape systematic domestic violence and threats to her life from relatives. With the assistance of human rights defenders, she managed to leave Russia for Armenia. Even after relocating abroad, she continued to receive threats from individuals from her home region due to her pursuit of freedom and critical statements about social, political, and religious norms of the North Caucasus.
International human rights bodies have repeatedly documented Russia’s persistent failure to protect citizens from gender-based violence. Women from the North Caucasus remain particularly at risk, facing so-called “honor killings.” Unable to find protection at home, many are forced to seek safety abroad — only to encounter continued persecution beyond Russia’s borders.
In light of the known circumstances of the incident, the broader pattern of persecution faced by Russian and especially Chechen refugees abroad, and the views publicly expressed by the victim, it is important to examine and verify the possibility that this crime may form part of an ongoing practice of transnational repression — threats, intimidation, and violence against those compelled to leave Russia.
We consider it a matter of urgent priority to ensure a prompt, thorough, and impartial investigation into Ms. Baymuradova’s murder to identify and hold those responsible accountable, including through international arrest warrants and extradition requests should they be found outside Armenia. It is equally important that the investigation remain under the jurisdiction of Armenia and not be transferred to any third country, in order to secure its independence and prevent interference or pressure.
It is essential to guarantee public access to information about the progress of the case, in order to prevent misinformation or manipulation and to counter the atmosphere of fear that such heinous acts of violence tend to create. Given that officials of the Chechen Republic have already accused human rights defenders and crisis centers providing assistance in Armenia of involvement in the murder, establishing the truth is also crucial to protecting Armenia’s reputation.
We also urge the Armenian authorities to adopt measures ensuring the protection of individuals in vulnerable situations — political dissidents, activists, and human rights defenders, and particularly women fleeing violence who seek refuge in Armenia, as Aishat Baymuradova did when she escaped the Chechen Republic in search of safety.
Signatories:
North Caucasus SOS Crisis Group
Marem Human Rights Group
Memorial Human Rights Defense Center
Crew Against Torture
Public Verdict
International Protection Center
European Queer Alliance of PostOst Community
Caucasus Without Mother
Aegis Group
North Caucasus Women’s Support Center
Svetlana Gannushkina, human rights defender
Mari Davtyan, lawyer and expert in the field of women’s rights protection
Sergey Lukashevskiy, human rights defender
Yuri Dzhibladze, human rights defender and international expert
Alexander Verkhovsky, human rights defender
Artem Klyga, human rights defender
Aida Mirmaksumova, human rights activist
This statement was submitted to the authorities of Armenia. For security reasons, we are not publishing the names of four other signatories.