Chechen woman taken from Georgia to Chechnya and later killed: what we know so far
Murder of Aliya Ozdamirova
Chechen citizen Aliya Ozdamirova, who fled to Georgia from Chechnya due to threats, was forcibly or deceptively taken back to Chechnya on 9 November 2025 and buried just three days later, on 12 November. Friends and human rights activists believe she was a victim of an “honour killing.”
According to the human rights group SK SOS, 33-year-old Aliya left Chechnya on 20 October 2025. She said that information about her sexual orientation had become known to others, including her cousins, who threatened her. Aliya first went to Istanbul and then moved to Georgia.
Aliya also received threats related to her business activities — she was accused of embezzling investors’ funds. She denied the allegations, saying that she had been deceived herself. According to Aliya, she had no motive to defraud people for money, as she came from a wealthy family. She was convinced that her business partners had misappropriated the funds.
What is known about Aliya Ozdamirova and how did the Chechen woman end up in Georgia?
Aliya Ozdamirova was born into an influential Chechen family. Her father, Usman Ozdamirov, was head of the Gudermes district, deputy minister of physical culture and sports, and part of Ramzan Kadyrov’s close circle. Witnesses say he never used violence against his daughter.
According to human rights groups, after Usman Ozdamirov’s death in 2020, everything changed. No one could protect Aliya from her brothers, who were also connected to Kadyrov. One worked as deputy head of Kadyrov’s administration, while the others were bodyguards.
Reports indicate that her brothers beat her before she fled to Georgia, accusing her of stealing investors’ money. Aliya denied taking the funds and blamed her business partners for misappropriating the profits. She had no money with her during her escape.
Aliya Ozdamirova has been in contact with human rights activists since 2023 but only left Chechnya on 20 October 2025 — the same day Armenian police confirmed the death in Yerevan of another Chechen refugee, Aishat Baymuradova.
To reach Georgia, Aliya first flew to Istanbul and then travelled through Turkey to Tbilisi. According to human rights group SK SOS, she was ready to speak publicly about the threats and blackmail she faced back home, even after moving to a safer country. Activists shared her story at her request, saying she wanted it to become public “in case something happened to her.”
She had planned to leave Georgia on 8 November, but before that, a “lawyer acquaintance” told her that a criminal case had been opened against her in Russia under the charge of “terrorism financing,” meaning she would not be able to leave Tbilisi freely. When human rights defenders checked, they found no evidence of such a case.
After receiving this information, Aliya contacted her uncle in Baku, who confirmed that a case had indeed been opened but promised to help her leave Georgia, saying he had “contacts” at the border. The uncle also reportedly told Aliya that her relatives intended to kill her but that he would prevent it and assist her. Activists warned her that it could be a trap and advised her to follow their guidance.
According to SK SOS, Aliya crossed the Georgian-Russian border on 9 November. The next day, reports of her death emerged, and by 12 November, her funeral had taken place. Her relatives claim she died of natural causes.
Friends and human rights activists suspect that Aliya was the victim of an “honour killing.” It remains unclear whether her forced return and possible death were linked to her sexual orientation or her family’s dissatisfaction with her business dealings.
SK SOS also released a voice recording from Aliya in which she described the torture she endured.
Murder of Aliya Ozdamirova
