AZE.US
A young woman’s video appeal after an alleged attack near Deniz Mall has turned a criminal incident on Baku Boulevard into a broader public-safety question: how protected are people in one of the capital’s most visible public spaces?
The woman said the incident happened on May 22 at around 2:25 p.m. on the New Boulevard, near Deniz Mall. In her account, she had gone there during working hours because the area was expected to be less crowded and was filming a video when an unknown man approached her from behind.
She said she did not notice him at first because she was checking footage on her phone, which had been placed on a tripod. According to her account, the man then committed an indecent act against her and made an obscene remark.
The woman said she reacted in shock, grabbed the tripod and tried to defend herself. She said the man then punched her in the jaw. The confrontation escalated further, according to her, when the attacker pulled out a sharp object and again moved toward her.
A passerby who saw the incident tried to intervene, she said. That moment, according to the woman, gave her a chance to move away from the scene and look for security.
That is where the case moves beyond one alleged assault. The woman said she could not find security nearby.
This was not a deserted side street or a poorly lit courtyard. It was Baku Boulevard, next to one of the city’s largest shopping and entertainment centers, in the middle of the day. If a person under attack in such a location has to rely on a random passerby rather than a visible security presence, the management of public safety in the area deserves a clear answer.
The woman said she called the Interior Ministry’s 102 service after the incident. Police officers arrived at the scene, photographed the area and later took her to the 8th police department in Bayil, where she gave a statement.
In her video appeal, she also said another woman had contacted her after the first post, claiming that a similar incident had happened to her near Torgovaya, close to the PASHA Bank area. The woman said the description of the attacker appeared to match.
“This is not the first case,” she said in the video. “I do not think it is the second or third either. I want this video to spread widely so that this person is found quickly and held accountable. Tomorrow, you could be in our place.”
According to Vesti Baku, police detained 47-year-old Shamkhal Najafov on suspicion of committing the act on the boulevard. During a search, officers reportedly found and seized three sharp objects classified as cold weapons. Legal measures are being taken against him.
The investigation will determine the legal qualification of the case and the suspect’s responsibility. But the public issue is already clear. Baku Boulevard is not just a promenade. It is a showcase space for the city, used by residents, tourists, families and young people every day.
After this case, the question is not only whether the detained man will be punished. It is also whether security on the boulevard is visible, close enough and prepared to respond when someone is in immediate danger.
AZE.US