As Interfax reported, on May 14, the Russian Justices Minister commented on the persecution of LGBT people in Chechnya organized by local authorities. During his presentation of the Russian official report at the UPR session in Geneva, Alexander Konovalov said that “Conducted checks, including using information provided by media, which had initially sent a signal on such violations, failed to confirm not only the existence of facts of violations of these rights, we were unable to find even members of the LGBT community in Chechnya". "Please help us do that, - find them," he added.
On April 3, a press conference “Persecution of LGBT in Chechnya. A year after” took place in Moscow. At the press conference, the co-founder of the Russian LGBT Network Igor Kochetkov and Novaya Gazeta’s special correspondent Elena Milashina explained what happened during the year passed, and shared the results of the conducted pre-investigation check. 
On April 3, 2018 (11 am), a press conference devoted to the persecution of LGBT people in Chechnya will take place at the press center of news agency Rosbalt (Moscow, Skaterny pereulok 4/2, building 1). A year passed since the moment when the world learned about the unprecedented kidnappings, tortures and murders of LGBT people in Chechnya, but the Russian authorities still do not do anything to stop persecutions or punish perpetrators.
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.
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. We demand that the inquiry is resumed by the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation and that the investigation of the crimes against humanity, whose survivors were the citizens of the Russian Federation based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, is thorough.
