When 23-year-old Aishat Baimuradova fled her home last year, she believed she finally had a chance to live the way she wanted. Coming from Chechnya, a conservative Muslim republic in Russia, she cut her hair short, stopped covering her head, shaved off part of her eyebrow and posted quirky selfies on Instagram. She told her new friends she could finally breathe.
In October, Aishat was found dead in a rented flat in neighbouring Armenia. Police say she was murdered. Two people were seen leaving the building where she was found, including a woman Aishat had befriended not long before her death. Both reportedly left for Russia soon afterwards.
Russians do not need a passport to enter Armenia; their internal ID is enough. That also makes it an easy route for anyone trying to flee. Chechnya, in Russia's North Caucasus, is often described by rights groups as a state within a state - a place where power is highly personalised and loyalty to long-standing leader Ramzan Kadyrov often over-rides laws and formal institutions.
For years, human rights organisations have documented enforced disappearances, torture and extrajudicial killings in the republic, as well as systematic persecution of those who dissent. Chechen officials have consistently denied these allegations, complaining of fabrications aimed at discrediting the region.
Several high-profile critics of Chechen authorities have been killed abroad, escalating global scrutiny on the region's oppressive environment. However, Aishat's case is particularly poignant as she is the first known Chechen woman to have died in suspicious circumstances shortly after fleeing Russia.
Aishat had reportedly complained of being controlled by her family, forced into a marriage, monitored, and barred from leaving home or using her phone. She sought refuge in Armenia at the end of 2024, aided by a crisis group, after openly denouncing the conservative gender rules and controlling societal expectations placed on women in her homeland.
Friends of Aishat have described her as someone who immensely desired a normal life and the ability to connect freely with others. However, her tragic death has reignited fear among other women who have escaped, reminding them of the dangers that exist even after fleeing oppressive regimes.
Armenian authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Aishat's death while Chechen officials deny any involvement and label such allegations as 'terrorist information attacks.' As the complex situation unfolds, the plight of women escaping oppressive conditions remains urgent and fraught with danger.
In October, Aishat was found dead in a rented flat in neighbouring Armenia. Police say she was murdered. Two people were seen leaving the building where she was found, including a woman Aishat had befriended not long before her death. Both reportedly left for Russia soon afterwards.
Russians do not need a passport to enter Armenia; their internal ID is enough. That also makes it an easy route for anyone trying to flee. Chechnya, in Russia's North Caucasus, is often described by rights groups as a state within a state - a place where power is highly personalised and loyalty to long-standing leader Ramzan Kadyrov often over-rides laws and formal institutions.
For years, human rights organisations have documented enforced disappearances, torture and extrajudicial killings in the republic, as well as systematic persecution of those who dissent. Chechen officials have consistently denied these allegations, complaining of fabrications aimed at discrediting the region.
Several high-profile critics of Chechen authorities have been killed abroad, escalating global scrutiny on the region's oppressive environment. However, Aishat's case is particularly poignant as she is the first known Chechen woman to have died in suspicious circumstances shortly after fleeing Russia.
Aishat had reportedly complained of being controlled by her family, forced into a marriage, monitored, and barred from leaving home or using her phone. She sought refuge in Armenia at the end of 2024, aided by a crisis group, after openly denouncing the conservative gender rules and controlling societal expectations placed on women in her homeland.
Friends of Aishat have described her as someone who immensely desired a normal life and the ability to connect freely with others. However, her tragic death has reignited fear among other women who have escaped, reminding them of the dangers that exist even after fleeing oppressive regimes.
Armenian authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Aishat's death while Chechen officials deny any involvement and label such allegations as 'terrorist information attacks.' As the complex situation unfolds, the plight of women escaping oppressive conditions remains urgent and fraught with danger.
