06:11, 3 September 2017

31 LGBT activists from Chechnya receive asylum in Canada

The Canadian flag painted in the LGBT rainbow colors. Photo: http://mysocalledgaylife.co.uk

The Canadian non-profit organization (NPO) “Rainbow Railroad” has helped 35 gays from Chechnya to leave Russia. 31 of them were granted asylum in Canada.

In April, the “Novaya Gazeta” reported mass arrests and killings in Chechnya of men suspected of unconventional sexual orientation. The "Russian LGBT Network" announced a start of an operation intended to evacuate gay men from Chechnya. As of July this year, the number of applicants amounted to 130 persons; 60 of them were evacuated.

The Russian Service of the BBC reports, referring to Kimali Powell, the head of the “Rainbow Railroad”, that his NPO has worked jointly with Canadian authorities. An important role belongs to Christina Freeland, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, the “Agence France-Presse” reports.

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