LGBT activists treat persecution of gays in Chechnya as crime against humanity

According to human rights defender Igor Kochetkov, an LGBT activist, the situation with the persecution of gays in Chechnya should be investigated by the International Criminal Court in The Hague, since it is a crime against humanity. Not only gays but also heterosexual men who are suspected of homosexuality on the ground of facetious correspondences in social networks are being tortured, the activists assert.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the mass detentions in Chechnya of men suspected of unconventional sexual orientation were reported by the newspaper "Novaya Gazeta".

Starting from March 26, there is a "hot line" for the persons who fell victim to the persecution of gays in Chechnya. This was reported by Igor Kochetkov, a member of the Board of the "Russian LGBT Network". According to him, reports are received daily.

According to Igor Kochetkov, in Chechnya, "there is a task is to clean the republic from gays till the beginning of Ramadan (this year, it starts on May 27, note of the "Caucasian Knot").

Irina Gordienko, a journalist of the newspaper "Novaya Gazeta", reports that sources of the edition who reported about the persecution of gays in Chechnya face serious risk.

Earlier, on April 5, the "Amnesty International" (AI) has appealed to the Russian authorities with a request to take measures to protect gays in Chechnya.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.