20:38, 22 February 2022

AI calls for release of Chechen gays Magamadov and Isaev

Salekh Magamadov and Ismail Isaev (on the left). Screenshot of the post from The Insider https://www.facebook.com/TheInsiderRussia/photos/1851919648306295

The belonging to the LGBTI community is not a crime; the suffering of the natives of Chechnya, Salekh Magamadov and Ismail Isaev, must be stopped immediately, Marie Struthers, the director of the human rights organization Amnesty International (AI) for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that since October 12, 2021, the court has been considering the criminal case against the brothers Salekh Magamadov and Ismail Isaev. Their advocates sought to transfer the case to another region, but the court refused them; and the hunger strike, which the brothers had held with this demand, also turned out to be fruitless. On February 11, 2022, the prosecutor asked to sentence Magamadov to 8.5 years, and Isaev to 6.5 years in prison.

The brothers Magamadov and Isaev are accused of aiding a militant from Aslan Byutukaev's grouping. According to investigators, they gave him bread, juice, tea and chocolate. In March 2021, the brothers complained about being beaten up and tortured after detention. They also reported that they were forced to sign fabricated confessions.

"The fact of belonging to the LGBTI community in Chechnya or anywhere else is not a crime. No one should be detained for one's sexual orientation, gender identity or for being critical of the authorities," the AI website has stated.

Ms Struthers has noted that Magamadov and Isaev faced multiple rights violations, including accompanied by torture. "Even in the face of ruthless repressions, Russian authorities remain on the sideline and do nothing," she has stated.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 22, 2022 at 03:58 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Source: Caucasian Knot