17:58, 14 June 2018

British activist detained after picket in support of gays in Chechnya

Peter Tatchell's picket in Moscow on June 14, 2018. Photo: twitter.com/PT_Foundation

In Moscow, policemen have detained Peter Tatchell, an activist who went to a solo picket in support of gays in Chechnya.

In April 2017, the "Novaya Gazeta" reported on mass detentions and murders in Chechnya of men suspected of non-traditional sexual orientation. The residents of Chechnya, interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot", confirmed this information.

The British activist went to his picket in Manezhnaya Square. A policeman told Tatchell that he was violating the procedure for holding street actions. The activist explained that he was holding his action in the interests of Russians, Theo Merz, an AFP journalist, wrote in his Twitter.

Peter Tatchell said that he came to Russia to support the local LGBT community and protest against holding the FIFA World Cup in Russia, the Guardian newspaper has reported.

Mr Tatchell is known as a human rights defender, who stood, among other things, against persecutions of homosexuals. In 2007, he participated in actions of Russian LGBT activists, who demanded a permit from the authorities to hold a gay parade, the "Kommersant" writes.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.