Azerbaijan under pressure over suspected cover-up of teenager's death

Elgun Ibrahimov

One year after 17-year-old schoolboy Elgun Ibrahimov died in Ganja, Azerbaijani authorities face growing pressure over allegations of a cover-up and the violent suppression of public protests.

Ibrahimov was found severely injured in an abandoned hostel in Azerbaijan’s second-largest city in May last year and later died in hospital.

While pro-government media outlets and local law enforcement quickly characterised the death as a suicide or an accidental fall from height, Ibrahimov’s family rejected the official narrative, claiming he was beaten to death.

His family has since fallen silent, a move local activists attribute to state intimidation and pressure.

In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, Ibrahimov's uncle, Rovshan Zeynalov, publicly accused authorities of ignoring signs of physical violence.

"The child was beaten very brutally," Zeynalov said in a media interview shortly after the incident. "His head was in pieces, his ribs were broken. This was not the work of a human."

Medical experts have raised serious questions about the official finding that Ibrahimov fell to his death.

Dr Adil Geybulla, a forensic specialist, said that modern expert analysis can easily distinguish between injuries sustained during a fall and those inflicted beforehand.

He pointed to reports indicating a lack of blood and soft-tissue bruising at the scene of the fall.

"This could indicate that blood circulation had stopped before the fall occurred," Geybulla said. "In other words, death may have occurred before he fell."

Rumours circulating online have linked the teenager's death to the child of a high-ranking Ganja official, though authorities have declined to comment on these claims.

Public anger over the handling of the case culminated in "Justice for Elgun" demonstrations across Baku and other major cities on 1 June last year.

The protests in the capital, Baku, were met with a heavy police response.

At least 63 people were detained, with several later alleging they were subjected to sexual harassment, insults, and ill-treatment while held at the Nasimi district police station.

Human rights lawyer Emin Abbasov said the state has a clear legal obligation under international law to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation.

"The law requires that when a person dies under suspicious or violent circumstances, the state's investigation must not be a mere formality," Abbasov said.

"If the family's questions remain unanswered, access to forensic reports is restricted, and the investigation fails to explain why certain possibilities were ruled out, it creates legitimate public doubt."

The case has also highlighted a broader pattern of unexplained youth deaths in Ganja.

On 4 June last year, the body of 20-year-old J Abbasov was discovered in a local park. Weeks later, on 25 June, 19-year-old Ibrahim Nazarov was found hanged in his home.

Local reports suggest up to 10 similar suspicious deaths involving teenagers and young adults have occurred in the city, with very little information released by investigators.

Azerbaijani authorities have been contacted for comment.