Over 100 detained following "brutal" police raid of Baku queer venue

Content Warning: This article contains accounts of violence and images that readers may find distressing.

Over 100 people were detained following a "brutal" police raid on a queer nightclub in Azerbaijan in December.

According to LGBTQIA+ campaign group Qıy Vaar!, police officers are said to have arrived at the Labyrinth nightclub in Baku's city centre by bus on December 27, before taking attendees "en masse" to a nearby police station.

Those who were detained claim that many were made to stand on the street outside of the venue in cold conditions for an extended period, where some "lost consciousness".

Qıy Vaar! say that detainees were then forced to take drug tests "without any grounds" or face court if they refused, with officers demanding "50 to 100 manats" (£21 - £43) as a bribe to be released. 

Detainees report being subjected to physical violence from officers once they had arrived at the station, including instances of broken teeth, hair cutting and one allegation of sexual violence — others claim they were subjected to "humiliating expressions and threats".

Last week, Qıy Vaar! shared a video of an anonymous witness, who claimed that "all 106" detainees were forced to drink "water from the toilet" during the ordeal, adding that: “When another girl had an epileptic seizure, she was taken to the toilet, shouted at, and told: ‘You have no right to lose consciousness here'.”

ILGA-Europe shared its concerns around the incident via a statement in December, writing: "We are deeply concerned by reports of a police raid on a queer-friendly space in central Baku, where around 100 people were reportedly detained."

"We stand in solidarity with the LGBTI community in Azerbaijan and support our member organisation in Azerbaijan, Qıy Vaar’s call for an urgent investigation and a public statement by the authorities."

While same-sex relationships have been decriminalised in Azerbaijan since 2000, recent years have seen an increase in discrimination and harassment of LGBTQIA+ people from authorities.

In March 2025, ILGA-Europe warned of police "entrapping" gay men via "dating apps, raids, and data checks, leading to unlawful detention and extortion".

You can read ILGA-Europe's full report on LGBTQIA+ rights in Azerbaijan here.

Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, follow her on Twitter