Tatiana Moskalkova contacts relatives of Chechen gays mentioned by "Novaya Gazeta"

Tatiana Moskalkova, High Commissioner for Human Rights in Russia (Ombudsperson), has got appeals from residents of Chechnya, whose surnames appeared in publications of the newspaper "Novaya Gazeta" reporting extrajudicial executions in the republic and persecution of LGBT people.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in April, the newspaper "Novaya Gazeta" reported mass detentions and killings in Chechnya of men suspected of non-traditional sexual orientation and about a "secret prison" for gays in the city of Argun. On July 9, the "Novaya Gazeta" also reported that at night on January 26, in Chechnya, at least 27 people were executed, who were earlier detained in connection with an attack on policemen in Grozny on December 17, 2016. The authorities of the Chechen Republic called the information a lie.

According to Tatiana Moskalkova, she starts receiving appeals from residents of Chechnya, whose surnames appeared in the publications of the "Novaya Gazeta".

"At present, following the appeals got from the Chechen Republic, I carry out a videoconference with their relatives in order to get the details of the circumstances," said the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Russia.

According to her, the law enforcement agencies and she initially got only the surnames and initials of people who appeared in the newspaper's publications.

"At present, we have already got an understanding concerning the residence of a number of relatives and concerning the circumstances originally reported by the newspaper 'Novaya Gazeta' and later by citizens," the RIA "Novosti" quotes Tatiana Moskalkova as saying.

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