Baku: Not quite “pride march” but Azeri LGBT activists attempt at visibility statement with rainbow flag

Azeri LGBT website Gay.az reports that a week ago, on 7 September 2013, for the first time some LGBT activists walked the streets of Baku with a rainbow flag. Two activists are pictured on the website, seating and standing with a rainbow flag in Azerbaijan capital Baku.

This was not a “pride celebration”, “march” or “mini-rally”, as wrongly indicated by PinkNews and Gay Star News, or anything remotely close to that scale.

This was an attempt at making statement on visibility, albeit with covered faces.

Considering a poor state with human rights in Azerbaijan with virtually non-visible LGBT community, this is a positive small but brave step forward.

As per reports, the action passed without incidents.

В минувшую субботу информационный ресурс Gay.Az провел мини акцию, пройдя по городу с радужным флагом. Как отметил организатор мероприятия Балухин Руслан, встречала прошла в дружественной обстановке и без инцидентов.  Отметим, что это первый случай в Азербайджане, когда ЛГБТ граждане прошлись по городу с радужной символикой.

*pictures - via Gay.az