FIDH and its member organisation Anti-Discrimination Centre Memorial (ADC Memorial) express their full confidence in reliability of information provided by their long-term partner Russian LGBT Network who confirmed the facts of kidnapping, unlawful detentions, torture and killings of men suspected of homosexual contacts in Chechnya. We hereby confirm that news on the massive attacks on men suspected of homosexuality appeared in the media following reports received by human rights organisations, including those working on LGBT rights.
Starting on 1 April 2017, media reports published information about a wave of appalling crimes in Chechnya against men suspected of carrying out homosexual relations. It was reported that starting from the beginning of March 2017, at least 160 men were kidnapped, unlawfully detained and tortured, leading to the deaths of at least three persons. The information was later refuted by various actors, including local authorities and others who denied receiving such information. As a response, the initial media source published an additional in-depth media report.
FIDH and ADC Memorial hereby call on the Council of Europe and the United Nations, notably the UN Working groups on Arbitrary Detention and on Enforced disappearances, the UN Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity, to take all measures at their disposal for the release of all persons unlawfully detained in Chechnya on the suspicion of homosexuality. We call on the Russian authorities to guarantee security and integrity of all persons and ensure an impartial investigation of massive crimes reported and confirmed by human rights organisations.