As the situation in Chechnya continues to be investigated, journalists are now reporting that they have uncovered four more prisons holding men for allegedly being gay, bringing the total number in the region to six. Police inspection in Grozny, Chechnya image: Alamy While in prison, the men are said to be tortured and at least three men are reported to have been killed. Russian publication Novaya Gazeta also claims that men are released from these prisons only once families offer to bribe Police. They report that staff members are in danger and that a meeting lead by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov was held, during which the leader accused Novaya Gazeta of libel and said the publication and its staff are “enemies of our faith and our country”. Clerics adopted a resolution at the meeting calling for the report “instigators” to be held to account. The Independent reports that the meeting was watched by 15,000 people and broadcast on television in the region. Novaya Gazeta journalist Elena Milashina told CNN that following the meeting, the publication received two envelopes filled with white powder. Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for Russian President, Vladimir Putin, says as no one has yet come out as a victim, the Kremlin has no reason to distrust Kadyrov’s denials. He says “We have no reason not to trust the head of the republic until there are actual complaints in this regard, not abstract, anonymous but actual complaints.” A number of victims have in fact spoken out and a video featuring the stories of gay men who survived torture has been released by Human Right Frist and RUSA LGBT. Men have also shared their stories in The New York Times.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 27th April 2017 - 12:41pm