Russia investigates 'gay purge' in Chechnya

Source: The Guardian


Putin officials pursue claims of homosexual men jailed and tortured in republic ruled by Kremlin-backed Ramzan Kadyrov

Shaun Walker in Moscow
Friday 26 May 2017 00.00 EDT

Russian officials are actively investigating claims of a purge of gay men in Chechnya, a process that could lead to a showdown between Moscow and the local Kremlin-backed strongman, Ramzan Kadyrov.

Dozens of men in the southern republic are reported to have been held in extrajudicial detention and tortured as part of a campaign against gay males in Chechnya that began several months ago. Many have fled and are in hiding in other regions of Russia or have gone abroad.

The story was initially reported by the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta and was confirmed by the Guardian, which spoke to four gay men who had been caught up in the campaign. One of the men told of beatings and electric shock torture in a secret prison where he was held for more than a week.

Often federal authorities turn a blind eye to the frequent human rights abuses in Kadyrov’s Chechnya, but it appears the scale of the round-up and the international outcry has led to a concerted response from central Russian authorities. In May, the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, urged Vladimir Putin to conduct a full investigation into the reports.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/26/russia-investigates-gay-purge-in-chechnya