A man accused of murdering an Azerbaijani woman in Tbilisi has been arrested at Batumi International Airport, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) says.
MIA adds that the arrest was carried out in close coordination with Turkish and Azerbaijani law enforcement authorities, with the direct involvement of the Georgian police attaché in Türkiye.
The Ministry alleges that on June 27, the suspect fatally injured a female relative in a temporary apartment in Tbilisi. The victim died at the scene.
On July 7, the Prosecutor’s Office charged Azerbaijani citizen Emin Aliyev, the victim’s cousin, with premeditated murder under aggravating circumstances.
The Prosecutor’s Office states that between June 3 and June 25, Aliyev subjected the victim, Fatima Karimova, to coercive control by restricting her freedom of movement, preventing her from communicating with family members and friends, and controlling her daily activities, including when she could leave the apartment.
Prosecutors say Karimova attempted to leave the apartment they shared but was unable to do so because Aliyev controlled her movements and other aspects of her life. They also claim he sought to assert male superiority over the victim.
The Prosecutor’s Office further says Aliyev physically assaulted Karimova on June 25 in an apartment on Evgenia Maisuradze Street in Tbilisi’s Varketili district, citing intolerance toward gender equality as the alleged motive.
The investigation is underway under Article 109 of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years or life imprisonment.
The case drew public attention after the women’s rights organization Sapari called for the investigation to examine possible gender-based motives behind Fatima Karimova’s death. On July 7, the Prosecutor’s Office charged her cousin, Emin Aliyev, in absentia with premeditated murder under aggravating circumstances, alleging he had subjected the victim to prolonged coercive control before the killing.
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