LGBT activist from the Russian city of Khabarovsk is facing charges for distributing pornography. He was required to give a written undertaking to stay in the city before the investigation is over. Russian LGBT Network took up the case and provides attorney to Sergei.
On January 29, 2020, following the proposal of Tony Kox (Netherlands, UEL), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE COE) passed the resolution returning full participation authority to the Russian delegation with 96 members voting in favor of the renewal of the mandate. The Parliamentary officials voted down the amendment pointing the unwillingness of the Russian authorities to investigate crimes committed against LGBT people in Russia, including crimes committed in the Chechen Republic.
Aminat Lorsanova who was beaten and tortured at the Clinic for Conterminal Psychiatric Conditions in Grozny applied to the Investigative Committee. In her complaint, she points out that her sexual orientation and rejection of Islam became the reasons of tortures, and asks to initiate criminal proceedings against her parents, a person who tried to “expel evil spirits” and the personnel of the clinic.
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.
