Azerbaijan: Woman 'Slit Lesbian Sister's Throat after She Refused to Stop Dating Women'

A 19-year-old woman has been arrested after she allegedly killed her sister for being a lesbian.

Parvana Nuriyevanin, 19, is reported to have stabbed Günel Nuriyevan, 20, before slitting her throat during a scuffle in their house in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.

Parvana said she was "possessed by a demon" when she killed her sister, local media Aznews reported.

"She often came home with lesbians and slept with them in our mother's bed," Parvana told police. "When I found out about it, I asked her to stop, but she did not.

"A demon possessed me and told me in my dreams that the time had come to kill my sister. I couldn't bear it."

Parvana was charged with the murder of her older sister "of a sexual minority."

LGBT Azerbaijan Alliance said the killing was "a hate crime against LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender] people."

Homosexuality in Azerbaijan was decriminalised in 2001. However, although gay unions are permitted, gay couples are not granted the same rights as heterosexual partners.

According to Pink News, homosexuality, oppression and harassment of LGBT people in the country is thought to be widespread and there are no laws protecting LGBT citizens from discrimination.

Gender and Development, the first community to promote LGBT rights in the country, was founded in 2011.

Last week, the president of Azerbaijan Alliance, Javid Nabiyev, received death threats after he got engaged with his boyfriend.

"Both of their lives are in danger now," the alliance said in a statement. "After the president of the organisation posted a photo from the engagement ceremony, the information was shared on a number of news portals and TV channels without any permission. Later on, there were bullying attacks on Javid's Facebook profile, using a lot of insults and death threats against him.

"His photos were shared on media and social networks. In the end, Nabiyev had to deactivate his profile, and now he can't go out in public because of danger of attack that may occur."

The episode followed an attack against another member of the organisation, who risked of being burned alive with gasoline by their parents.