22:14, 14 April 2023

Rights defenders send report on human rights violations in Chechnya and Dagestan to UN

The United Nations Office. Photo: https://www.un.org

Human rights organizations have sent a report to the UN on the deteriorating of the human rights situation in Northern Caucasus and described cases of persecution of LGBT people in Chechnya and Dagestan. Since Russian authorities recognize the UN review procedure, they will have to react to this report, the authors thereof have pointed out.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in November 2022, the UN Human Rights Committee pointed to human rights violations in Northern Caucasus, highlighting the persecution of Salekh Magamadov and Ismail Isaev, natives of Chechnya, who were convicted of aiding a militant, as well as the suppression of anti-mobilization protests. These human rights problems have been created "artificially," Mansur Soltaev, the Chechen Ombudsperson has stated in his turn.

In 2022, the number of complaints about persecutions received by the SK SOS Crisis Group from the regions of Northern Caucasus tripled, the Group has noted. In particular, people complained about being harassed because of their sexual or gender identity. The report presents the stories of Leyla Gireeva, a resident of Ingushetia, Magomed Askhabov, a native of Dagestan; and of Salekh Magamadov, Ismail Isaev and Elina Ukhmanova, who were taken to Chechnya and convicted there.

The report states that in Northern Caucasus, LGBT people are subjected to abductions, torture, "expulsion of genies", "honour killings" and other illegal practices.

Let us remind you that in April 2017, the "Novaya Gazeta" reported on mass detentions and murders in Chechnya of men suspected of non-traditional sexual orientation, as well as on a "secret prison" for gays in Argun. Chechen authorities called these materials a provocation, but residents of Chechnya interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" confirmed the information.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 14, 2023 at 03:02 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Source: Caucasian Knot