The Chechen diaspora in Europe ignored Soltayev's call to speak out against LGBT*

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Two weeks ago, Chechen Ombudsman Mansur Soltayev issued a call for representatives of the Chechen diaspora in Europe to protest against LGBT*, but no one responded.

As reported by the Caucasian Knot, Mansur Soltayev was appointed Human Rights Commissioner in Chechnya in December 2021. During this time, he has repeatedly denied human rights violations by the Chechen authorities. At the end of December last year, he received an award from the Coordination Center of Muslims of the North Caucasus for the promotion of spiritual values.

On May 13, Chechen Human Rights Commissioner Mansur Soltayev published a video message on his Telegram channel to the "Euro-Ichkerians" proposing to hold "at least single pickets against the propaganda of non-traditional relationships (LGBTQ*) in the countries where they currently reside." The message is entirely in Chechen and lasts over two and a half minutes.

A day later, Soltayev reported that "the call was ignored."

The SOS Crisis Group** reported on May 26, two weeks after Soltayev's appeal, that no one had responded to his request. The group also shared details of Soltayev's video address, which, in particular, touched on the situation with Ruslan Kutayev, a member of the Russian Opposition Platform at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

Earlier, in April, Ruslan Kutayev commented on the situation with LGBT people in the Caucasus in interviews with several publications. He stated that he was insulted by people from the Caucasus who openly declare their affiliation with the LGBT community. He called them outcasts and perverts.

Furthermore, he called "honor killings" in Chechnya a "family matter." Kutayev** stated that the decision to "kill, bring home, or marry off" is made by the family, and no one has the right to judge them for it.

On April 29, a group of journalists, lawyers, activists, and representatives of human rights organizations sent a joint appeal to PACE demanding that it evaluate Kutayev's statements** and consider his removal from the platform. The Crisis Group SK SOS** also sent a similar appeal.

Amid the furor, Kutayev** stated that he had been misunderstood and that he was actually against "honor killings." He said he hadn't expressed his opinion. "The question there was: what is the situation in Chechen and Caucasian society?" I tried to explain as honestly as possible the situation and the categories of thought there," the channel quotes him as saying.

As a result, Kutayev's** membership in the PACE platform was suspended, Assembly President Petr Bayr announced on social media on April 29. "Having examined the evidence attached to these complaints, I consider them well-founded and have decided, in accordance with paragraph 7 of Resolution 2621 (2026), to suspend Mr. Kutayev** from the Platform with immediate effect," the statement read.

The SOS Crisis Group** also noted in its publication that Mansur Soltayev touched upon a statement by Abubakar Yangulbayev***, who, in connection with the situation surrounding Kutayev, was asked on the "Vot Tak" channel how he would feel if his son were gay*. According to Yangulbayev, in such a case, in this society It would have been hard for him to live, but his attitude towards his son would have been normal.

Soltayev, according to the channel, was glad that Yangulbayev*** left Chechnya. He also said that it's good that in Chechnya one can proudly say: "We are against LGBT*." At the same time, according to Soltayev, people who live outside of Russia do not have this right. For such According to the ombudsman, they will be expelled from Europe.

A gay man from Chechnya who fled the country spoke to the "Caucasian Knot" about how people of non-traditional sexual orientation live in Chechnya, and what happened to some of them after the mass roundups began. "If They Kill You, If Not Yours, Then Strangers": A Gay Man on Life in Chechnya and Fleeing Russia.