Three Vladikavkaz residents accused of attacking gays

Three residents of Vladikavkaz are involved in the case on a series of extortions and attacks on gays. The defendants have explained their actions by homophobia.

The case is being considered by the Sovietsky District Court of Vladikavkaz. Three local residents of 21-23 years old used social networks to get acquainted with gays and invited them to meet. A member of the grouping picked up a victim. Then he undressed himself and the victim in his car. At that moment, accomplices opened the car's doors and began to beat the victim and shoot on a video camera all what was happening, the "Kavkaz.Realii" reports.

The criminals extorted money for the video. According to investigators, six persons fell victim to the criminals. Initially, only one of the victims filed a complaint to the police, while the others tried to find the amount to pay the blackmailers.

The criminals face up to seven years of imprisonment in a penal colony.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that with regard to rights of sexual minorities, Russia occupies the penultimate, 48th place in the rating of ILGA-Europe, the European branch of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association.

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