Allegations of human rights abuses against homosexual men in Chechnya

International human rights organisations reported in April 2017 that around one hundred gay men in the Russian republic of Chechnya had been abducted as part of a coordinated campaign, some indicating the use of torture and other violent methods and the death of at least three men.

A spokesperson of the European Union's High Representative on Foreign Policy argued that prompt, effective, thorough investigations and effective actions were needed so that anyone found guilty of or complicit in such crimes could be brought to justice.

The European Parliament's plenary session held a debate on 18 May on this topic. MEPs showed their concern over the persecution of gay men and called for an investigation to be undertaken.

EU: EEAS: Statement, 06.04.17: Statement by the Spokesperson on the human rights abuses of gay men in Chechnya https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/24323/

European Parliament: Press Release, 18.05.17: Persecution of gay men in Chechnya: MEPs call for urgent investigation http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/20170511IPR74352/

BBC News, 19.05.17: Chechen gay men hopeful of finding refuge in five countries http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39974512

OpenDemocracy: oDR Russia, 12.05.17: Chechens alienated amidst gay persecutions https://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/ali-gubashev/chechens-alienated-amidst-gay-persecutions

The Independent, 10.05.17: Theresa May condemns Chechen persecution of gay men as 'utterly barbaric' http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/theresa-may-chechnya-gay-men-chechen-torture-detain-camps-barbaric-russia-region-a7728641.html

The Guardian, 11.05.17: LGBT activists detained in Moscow while petitioning against Chechen purge https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/11/lgbt-activists-opposed-to-chechen-crackdown-detained-in-moscow

Human Rifghts Watch: Video, 10.05.17: Q & A: Attacks on Gay Men in Chechnya https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/05/10/attacks-gay-men-chechnya

The Guardian, 22.04.17: [Opinion] In macho Chechnya, being gay is an act of intolerable rebellion https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/22/chechnya-gay-intolerable-rebellion-repression

BBC News, 21.04.17: 'They want to exterminate us', says Chechen gay man http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39665711

The New York Times, 21.04.17: ‘They Starve You. They Shock You’: Inside the Anti-Gay Pogrom in Chechnya https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/21/world/europe/chechnya-russia-attacks-gays.html

The Local.se, 21.04.17: Sweden summons Russia envoy over reports of Chechnya anti-gay violence https://www.thelocal.se/20170421/sweden-summons-russia-envoy-over-reports-of-chechnya-anti-gay-violence

OpenDemocracy: oDR Russia, 04.04.17: Anti-LGBT violence in Chechnya: when filing 'official complaints' isn’t an option https://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/tanya-lokshina/anti-lgbt-violence-in-chechnya-when-filing-official-complaints-isn-t-option

United Nations: OHCHR: News, 13.04.17: End abuse and detention of gay men in Chechnya, UN human rights experts tell Russia http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=21501

EUObserver, 19.05.17: Lithuania helps gay Chechens flee Russia https://euobserver.com/lgbti/137976

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