Contents tagged with Chechnya

  • Vladimir Putin accused the US of supporting Chechen militants

    The President of Russia announced that the US "used terrorists to swing the domestic political situation in Russia."

    In his interview with Oliver Stone, published by the Showtime network, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that United States intelligence supported militants in Chechnya to destabilize the situation in Russia.

    "When we started having problems in Chechnya, unfortunately in the Northern Caucasus, the Americans supported these processes," the Russian leader said.

    "We had an …

  • The Head of the Chechen Parliament denied allegations about his involvement in gay abuse

    The speaker of the Parliament of Chechnya called the Human Rights Watch report ‘cheap slander’ and stated he welcomed an investigation. Earlier, the human rights organization accused him of being involved in the prosecution of gays in the republic.

    The Speaker of the Parliament of Chechnya, Magomed Daudov, commented on the report by the human rights organization, Human Rights Watch (HRW), on his page on Instagram, accusing him of being involved in the prosecution of gays in Chechnya.

    "Yes, I …

  • Media: One of the victims of the persecution of homosexuals in Chechnya was a member of the Russian National Guard

    One of the victims of the mass persecution of homosexuals in Chechnya was a serviceman of National Guard of the Russian Federation (Rosgvardia), as reported by Novaya Gazeta citing unnamed sources.

    "We provided new information to the investigation in order to verify the four victims who were residents of Chechnya. Three of whom, according to our information, were killed in on the suspicion of homosexual orientation (among them - an employee of the National Guard)," the report says.

    According …

  • Human rights activist: Not only gays end up in 'secret prisons' in Chechnya

    The topic of “secret prisons” in Chechen territory has already been around for much more than a year, said Igor Kalyapin, head of the Committee to Prevent Torture, in an interview with the Rosbalt news outlet. According to Kalyapin, “undesirables” of all kinds are put in these prisons.

    “Unfortunately, facts of this kind are encountered not only in Chechnya. But for this republic the problem remains particularly relevant. As far as I know, even now in the Chechen Republic people continue to be …

  • Russian LGBT activists relocate more than 40 homosexuals out of Chechnya

    Igor Kochetkov, chairman of the Russian LGBT network, who is involved in legal aid for Chechen homosexuals and assists in relocating them from the republic, told Current Time news outlet  that since the publication of Novaya Gazeta’s investigations regarding the persecution of homosexuals in Chechnya, more than 80 people have approached them for help.

    “Since the first of April, we started receiving requests. Already more than 80 people have approached us. Thus far, of them more than 40 people …

  • Russian Ministry of Justice: The International Criminal Court decision on homosexuals in Chechnya will not affect Russia

    The possible decision of the International Criminal Court or ICC on the lawsuit brought by LGBT associations against the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov will not have legal consequences for Russia. This was stated by the head of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation, Alexander Konovalov, Interfax reports.

    "What the court will decide is difficult for me to foresee but it should not have legal consequences for Russia," he said at a briefing in St. Petersburg.

    Earlier, three French …

  • Lithuania grants asylum to two Chechen homosexuals

    Two gays have moved from Chechnya to Lithuania after being persecuted for their sexual orientation.

    This was announced by Linas Linkevičius, head of the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry, as reported by the BNS news outlet.

    He did not provide details, noting only that Lithuania is one of the first EU states to receive gays who have been subject to persecution in Chechnya. He added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is “coordinating actions with allies in the west”.

    “We are gradually raising …

  • Putin promised to address issue of persecution of homosexuals in Chechnya

    Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised Russia’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Tatyana Moskalkova that he will "talk" with the Prosecutor General and the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs about verifying the reports on the persecution of gays in Chechnya, as reported by Meduza web site

    "Of course, I will talk with the Prosecutor General and the Minister of the Interior, so that they will provide you with assistance regarding the issue that you have raised, regarding known …

  • Five EU countries call on Moscow to protect homosexuals in Chechnya

    Germany and four other EU countries called on Moscow to protect the LGBT community in Chechnya. In a letter addressed to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel and his colleagues from France, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Sweden expressed deep concern over the reports of international organizations about the situation in the Caucasian republic, AFP agency reported on Wednesday.

    "We urge the Russian government to investigate horrendous accusations …

  • In meeting with Putin, Merkel called for Ukraine to be given back control over its borders

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, May 2. As planned earlier, the meeting in Sochi took place before the G20 summit on May 7-8.

    During the press conference at the conclusion of the meeting, the politicians spoke about matters pertaining to bilateral relations, the fight against terrorism, as well as the situation in Syria and in Eastern Ukraine.

    Angela Merkel said that there is no need to make a new agreement regarding a peaceful …