IndexBasic informationCurrent situationRecommended actionBasic informationFormally, the Republic of Chechnya is part of the Russian Federation, but functions as a quasi-autonomous state with its own legal code. The Chechen authorities, led for a decade by Ramzan Kadyrov, have established tyranny in the region, and this with the approval of the Kremlin. They actually control virtually all aspects of life, such as politics, religion, academia, and even family matters. On several occasions Kadyrov has supported polygamy, mandatory hijab wearing for women in public and collective punishment for the families of those involved in the Islamic underground. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay According to Amnesty International (2017), any form of dissent is brutally repressed. Human rights defenders, media workers and political activists from both inside and outside Chechnya, as well as members of the public who criticize the Chechen leadership and its policies, face threats, harassment and often violence physics. The murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya in 2006 and the kidnapping and murder of Chechen human rights defender Natalia Estemirova in 2009 are just two examples of the atrocious human rights violations in Chechnya. Chechen Islamic society is strictly conservative and based on strong codes of family and clan loyalty. According to locals, a gay relative is seen as a stain on the entire family and a gay man's brothers will have difficulty finding a spouse due to shame. Amnesty International reports that “honor killings” are still a practice in this region of the North Caucasus. Men who have “tarnished the family's honor” by being gay or believed to be gay not only risk being disowned, but also run the very real risk of being murdered by their own family members. These usually enjoy impunity for the crime committed. Several recently released violent videos threaten gay activists. Although same-sex sexual activity was decriminalized in 1993, Russians who engage in "non-traditional sexual relationships" have no legal recognition, and no laws prohibit discrimination because of sexual orientation. In 2013, a law was passed banning the “propaganda of homosexuality among minors.” This law has been condemned by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and international human rights groups for its broad and ambiguous wording. Critics see it as an effective ban on publicly promoting the rights and culture of the LGBTQI community. Current situationThe independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta reported on April 1 that Chechen militias and security forces launched a major coordinated operation against suspected gay men. They cited Russian federal law enforcement as the main source, which blamed local authorities. Since that date, numerous credible international sources, including Human Rights Watch, have investigated the situation and have confirmed that as of the end of March this year, at least one hundred gay (or perceived gay) men had been abducted, detained and tortured in secret prisons in and around Grozny, the Chechen caital. Novaya Gazeta has verified information about at least four men killed by authorities, but its sources say many others were also killed. The newspaper also reports that among those arrested there are influential representatives of the Chechen government, close to the leader Kadyrov, and two famous television presenters. CNNspoke to a survivor of one of these so-called concentration camps. He explained that he was beaten and electrocuted for confessing the names of other gays. The experts, a group of five advisers from the United Nations Human Rights Council, wrote: “The arrested men are subjected to physical and verbal abuse, torture including electric shock, beatings, insults and humiliation. They are forced to provide contact details of other gay people and threatened to reveal their sexual orientation to their family and community – a move that could put them at risk of 'honour killings'." For this campaign, investigators posed as men looking for gay people. homosexual dating. Radio Svoboda's investigation found that some prisoners were released to their families if they promised to kill them. Queer men have since begun fleeing the region. The persecution intensified after the Moscow-based gay and lesbian rights organization Gayrussia.ru requested permission for gay pride parades in four Muslim cities in the North Caucasus, though not in the same Chechnya. The demands were rejected and gave rise to anti-gay counter-demonstrations. The organization had not focused on Muslim districts, but had applied for permits in nearly 100 municipal administrations across the Russian Federation. Their attempt was to collect the inevitable denials for use in a case concerning freedom of assembly and LGBTI rights before the European Court of Human Rights. Chechen authorities have denied the reports, calling them an attempt to discredit the region's reputation, encourage sodomy and undermine traditional values. Ramzan Kadyrov's spokesman, Alvi Karimov, went as far as to say that it is simply not possible to detain and oppress people who simply do not exist in Chechnya. He explains that even if these people existed, it would not be a problem for the authorities, since the families themselves would send these people to a place of no return. Kheda Saratova, a member of the Chechen Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights (!), said that in their society the repression and even murder of gays is encouraged, because homosexuality is actually "worse than war ". He proudly admitted that the justice system would approach an "honor killing" with understanding. A spokesperson for the Chechen Ministry of the Interior even attempted to pass off the news as "an April Fool's joke". However, according to the British newspaper Independent, a British foreign minister knows that Ramzan Kadyrov plans to eliminate the gay community from the country before Ramadan. begins (March 26). In conclusion, the experts said: "These are acts of persecution and violence of an unprecedented scale in the region and constitute serious violations of the Russian Federation's obligations under international human rights law." members, as well as the general public, to write appeals to the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Alexander Bastrykin, and to the Acting Head of the Investigative Committee for the Chechen Republic, Sergei Sokolov. The letters should call for immediate, effective and thorough investigations into the abductions and killings of suspected homosexual men in Chechnya and the persecution of its perpetrators under Russian jurisdiction. Furthermore, the government must ensure the safety of all those who are at risk due to their sexual orientation and strongly condemn discriminatory comments made by official authorities. We as individuals should also remind both the Russian and Chechen authorities of their international human rights obligation to prohibit discrimination andinvestigate and prosecute hate crimes. President Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the Kremlin knew nothing about these allegations in advance and that it had no reason to doubt the Chechen leader's claims that there is no ongoing persecution based on sexual orientation. Peskov then suggested that people who "in their opinion" have been abused by law enforcement officers should file an official complaint and go to court. He did not mention any kind of protection for victims. However, most victims and witnesses are too afraid to even speak anonymously to human rights observers and journalists. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch confirm that it is extremely dangerous to file complaints against officials in Chechnya. Retaliation, including death threats, by local authorities against those seeking justice and their families is imminent. In my opinion, it is crucial to highlight and bring to international attention how vulnerable the Chechen LGBTI community currently is. This issue needs more and frequent media coverage. Not just in the news, but public figures, especially those who often fight for gay rights, should speak out and raise awareness about the situation on TV and social media. Only then will it spark even greater international outrage, and will be the first step in addressing the problem. UN experts have already called on the Chechen government to immediately stop the persecution and release all detainees, and for the Russian government to thoroughly investigate this "prophylactic" sweep and bring the persecutors to justice. “The Russian Federation must officially declare that it does not tolerate any form of incitement to violence, social stigmatization of homosexuality or incitement to hatred, and does not condone discrimination or violence against people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity” . avoid any type of investigation and prosecution of anti-gay violence, as is done with responsibility for torture, forced disappearances and extrajudicial executions. This alone should already prompt major international actors to intervene to save people's lives and dignity, before this brings even more blood and suffering. (Human Rights Watch, 2017) Western governments should also pressure the Russian government to take immediate and effective action. Furthermore, governments should help at-risk people leave Chechnya and find safe haven outside Russia. This assistance consists of providing and expediting humanitarian visas, refugee resettlement or any other entry permits. Human rights activists, such as the Canada-based charity Rainbow Railroad, are trying to get dozens of gay Chechens out of the country. They do not believe in the safety of men anywhere on Russian territory. The problem with European embassies is that they only grant asylum to people already in the country. They do not issue any type of visa to those who intend to seek asylum upon arrival. Furthermore, human rights defenders must be protected from threats, attacks and harassment. For this, the Kremlin should publicly recognize and recognize the legitimate work carried out by human rights defenders. (Human Rights Watch, 2017) Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, publicly urged Putin during a joint press conference to exert his influence to “ensure that minority rights are protected.” Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, said in an official statement that she was "disturbed by the reports of.