Stavropol’s regional court declined to outlaw refusal to initiate criminal proceedings on the complaint of Maxim Lapunov, the only person who suffered within the mass campaign against LGBT in Chechnya and dared to speak publicly about his experience. As the court ignored the numerous falsifications at the stage of pretrial investigation, the Russian LGBT Network and the Committee against torture plan to apply to the ECHR.
"I dedicate this award to my team, the team of the Russian LGBT Network. I admire the courage of these people, of all people who fight for LGBT rights in Russia". On November 22, the Egor Gaidar annual award ceremony took place in Moscow. The award for the Activity Fostering Development of Civil Society was given to the Executive Director of the Programs of the Russian LGBT Network Igor Kochetkov and the Chairperson of the Committee against Torture Igor Kalyapin. For the first time ever, the award was given to two people.
Russian Federal authorities ignored the information on the invocation of the OSCE Moscow mechanism, and lost the opportunity to propose its expert for the international investigation. According to the procedures of the Moscow mechanism, Moscow was supposed to react and subsequently propose its candidate. The coalition of OSCE countries that invoked the Moscow Mechanism has already appointed the expert who will investigate the information on severe human rights violations in Chechnya.
52 Russian and International human rights organizations (including the Russian LGBT Network) signed the statement about the fact that Russia jeopardize online freedoms all over the world. The representative of Article 19 delivered the Statement at the session of the UN Human Rights Council in Genève.
On May 19th, GENDERDOC-M organized the annual march of equality in Chișinău, under the campaign Fără Frică de Iubire(Without the fear to love). However, unlike the last years’ experience, the march that included approximately 350 participants was able to reach its destination without being attacked and evacuated halfway through the route. The Ministry of Interior provided all necessary protections for the participants and despite the aggressive outbursts of the counter-protestors, the Pride march was not exposed to any violence.
A year has passed since the publication of first testimonies of LGBT people that faced persecution in Chechnya based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. However the unlawful detentions, humiliation and torture of LGBT people in Northern Caucasus persist. There are some things one can do to support the victims of the state-organized persecutions of LGBT in Chechnya.
