The video was released in the week of IDAHOT and is available to watch online with English subtitles.

The video release was also part of a broader ongoing campaign from AZAD LGBT, who hope to draw attention to the discrimination facing LGBT people, while also tackling negative and hurtful opinions. The group have recently also released a ‘toolkit’ for parents, families and teachers hoping to learn more about LGBTI issues in young people.

On May 13, Nefes Azerbaijan Alliance organized a bowling championship in Baku. This event was part of #Compete4equality which Nefes LGBT Azerbaijan held about 2015 Baku First European Games. Also, this event organized within the May 17 International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO). The essence of the idea is to gather LGBT and heterosexual people together, and jointly send positive messages to a larger society. While competing for equality and peace, the participants expressed views that it’s possible for LGBT and heterosexual people to share the same environment and have fun together. Participants were rewarded with certificates after the competition. In the game that carried the mission of “The Contest for Equality”, there was no declared winner.

Nefes LGBT Alliance has also planned to organize other events:

1.Pride Meeting – This year’s gathering will be a possibility for LGBT and allies to meet and discuss the role Religion has on LGBT-phobic attitudes within society. It will also provide a platform to exchange experiences and share personal stories.

2.Remembrance Day – This activity will take place in Sumqayit where more than 200 candles will be lit in a park in remembrance all of LGBT people in the world that have been and/or are victims of Homophobia.

Nefes LGBT Azerbaijan Alliance has been active since 2012 and works towards more acceptance of LGBT people within Azerbaijan society as well as towards progress in legislation and politics.

Also in Azerbaijan the Azerbaijan Free LGBT Organisation (AZAD) held a special beach clean event on May 17th. The event, to mark IDAHOT 2015, brought together members of the LGBT community to clean up one of Azerbaijan’s most polluted public spaces.

The aim of the event was both draw attention to the message of IDAHOT, whilst also fighting stereotypes about the LGBT community in Azerbaijan. Common misconceptions include ideas that the LGBT community are ‘lazy’ or ‘unmotivated’ and that they do not put back into their local community.

For more information on the group, the event, and how to take part please visit their official website.

In Azerbaijan, the organisation Nəfəs LGBT Azərbaycan Alyansı prepared two actions in order to commemorate IDAHOT 2014. The actions highlighted the importance of accepting LGBT people as part of society and also challenged violence and hatred against LGBT comunities with a European-wide campaign.

In 2001, Azerbaijan joined the Council of Europe and committed to several obligations, and yet LGBT people still face significant discrimination, violence and isolation in society, and at the hands of the state. Therefore, activists set out this year to analyse legislation in terms of LGBT rights in Azerbaijan, and to propose new bills which also include raising the profile of national obligations which Azerbaijan has yet to fulfill, in front of the European parliament.

‘March for Equality’. Source: Nefes LGBT

Under the theme ‘We are as old as Gobustan!’, Nefes, the LGBT Azerbaijan Alliance, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Netherlands, organised a gathering on IDAHOT on one of the oldest human settlements in Azerbaijan, Gobustan. With this event, the participants protested against prejudice within Azerbaijani society, and specifically against the framing of LGBT rights as a ‘European import’, by highlighting that LGBT communities ‘are as old as Gobustan’.

‘We Are as Old as Gobustan’. Source: Nefes LGBT

After a ‘March for Equality’ to the site, the participants release colorful balloons into the sky and rainbow flags were also proudly waved. LGBT people and their allies took part in the protest to say no to Homophobia and Transphobia, to show unity and to speak up for equality, and for an end to anti-LGBT violence.

They shared some pictures online, as well as a video of the #IDAHOT 2014 in Azerbaijan, which you can view here:

Hate Kills Campaign

Prior to May 17, Nefes had also launched a campaign to promote ‘Common Sense for Equality’. In every European country there is an inscription on cigarette boxes: ‘Smoking is harmful for your health and people around you’. The campaign invited people to replace the word smoking with ‘homophobia’ (or ‘transphobia’, ‘biphobia’, ‘hate’, etc). People with cigarette boxes in their hands from different countries all over Europe took photos and sent them in to the organization. The pictures were turned into posters which were then popularised on social media.

‘Hate Kills’. Source: Nefes LGBT

Unfortunately, after the participants stood up against discrimination, isolation and violence against LGBT people at the IDAHOT events in Azerbaijan, Nefes and the Dutch Embassy were accused of ‘hostility against Azerbaijan’. Therefore, Nefes released a statement in reaction to those accusations, which is reproduced here in full:

As a Nefes LGBT we are very concerned over society’s reaction on our activity 17th May, Day against Homophobia.

All the time we hear ‘We live in war conditions’, ‘Who will fight for Karabakh’ and the like. However, to be gay doesn’t mean to be feminine. Today there are ample gay people who serve in the army, they are ready to fight and sacrifice their lives by the order of Commander-of-chief of Azerbaijan Republic.

Unfortunately, head of Karabakh Liberation Organization Akif Tagi illiterately remarked his opinion on ‘march to Gobustan’ in media and blamed Dutch embassy for ‘enmity policy against Azerbaijan’. But he forgets that rights and liberties of a person cannot be restricted due to race, nationality, religion, language, sex, origin, political and social belonging (Constitution of Azerbaijan Republic, article 25) and in this case he must be punished according to Criminal Code of Azerbaijan (Article 154: violation of right to equality). If he knew our constitution, he would know that homosexual relations aren’t crime at all.

Society cannot come to terms that Azerbaijan is a democratic, secular, law-governed state (Constitution of Azerbaijan Republic, article 7.1), and religion is separated from state (Constitution of Azerbaijan Republic, article 18.1).

We understand that, believers in Islam prevail in Azerbaijan and we respect their beliefs. But it doesn’t mean, one can threaten, humiliate LGBT people or their supporters on the basis of their religious beliefs. Everyone has a right to live in this country, including LGBT people, along with religious ones and no one can prohibit this right.

Unfortunately, society thinks LGBT has obscene, lascivious lifestyle, but in reality it is not the case. What LGBT wants is just not to be discriminated. They have normal lifestyle and career as others do.

We also want to point out homophobic journalists and their bias in publications of materials on LGBT. Journalist ethics doesn’t allow them to express their subjective opinions or to use LGBT as a means of PR of their web-site.

Dear editors, don’t forget that your ‘callings on hate’ can deprive someone of his life. Therefore, we think they should pay attention while choosing headlines, pictures and overall information. Law-enforcement bodies also must be careful as the law requires it (Criminal Code, article 147), as some famous pages on social networks spread threat, bias and hate against LGBT, our organization and head of organization.

Photo: Logo of the group Nəfəs LGBT Azerbaijan.

“March for Equality” – On May 17 there will be a march to one of the oldest settlements of Azerbaijan – Gobustan. The slogan of the “March for Equality” will be ‘We are as old as Gobustan’, ‘We were here, we are here, we
will be here’.

Sing for Equality: They are planning to prepare music which will symbolize the interests of LGBT or other minorities (ethnic, ‘race’ etc.) in Azerbaijan. People from different backgrounds (age, social group, profession) will be involved to sing this music.

Common Sense for Equality: This activity will encompass, mainly, 30 European countries. In every country there is an inscription on cigarette boxes: “Smoking is harmful for your health and people around you’. The word smoking will be replaced by ‘homophobia’. As a result, it will then say “Homophobia is harmful for your health and people around you’. People with cigarette boxes in their hands from different countries will take photos and send it to the organization. They will prepare posters and spread it through all social networks.

Legislation for Equality: In 2001 Azerbaijan joined the Council of Europe with several obligations. Azerbaijan doesn’t consider recommendations of international organisations in the field of human rights. Therefore, activists want to analyse the legislation in terms of LGBT rights in Azerbaijan and to propose new bills. They also want to raise the issue of the obligations that Azerbaijan did not fulfill in front of the European parliament.

Currently, Nəfəs is still searching for funding to realise the planned activities for May 17.

• Police abuses against gays, mainly male sex workers
• Usage of homosexuality by state-controlled media outlets as a tool to harass and discredit critics of the government and opposition journalists

About the Network: The Regional Network, established in May 2011, works for the “joint improvement of the legal and social status of the LGBTIQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex and Queer) people in”: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Macedonia, Montenegro, Palestine, Serbia, Tunisia and Turkey.

For more information see: http://dayagainsthomophobia.org/activists-from-17-nations-publish-joint-statement-for-may-17-2013/