The chair of the Chechen parliament, Magomed Daudov, played a key role in anti-gay purges in the Russian authoritarian republic of Chechnya, Human Rights Watch has revealed in a report published today.
Daudov, a long-time ally of the republic's notorious leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, personally oversaw the torture of men who were detained in secret prisons on suspicion of being gay, two detainees told Human Rights Watch. Daudov made “offensive comments” during the beatings, they said.
Another victim of the purge said he saw him in another prison in Grozny, Chechnya's capital.
In early April, the Novaya Gazeta newspaper reported that over 100 gay men had been brutally detained, locked in secret prisons, tortured and coerced into revealing the names of friends and partners. At least four men were reportedly killed.
According to Novaya Gazeta, the purge began in February 2017 when Daudov “flew into a rage” after discovering that a man arrested for possessing drugs had a “porn gallery” on his phone with contacts for gay men.
Commenting on the report, Chechen lawmaker Zelimkhan Dzhamaldinov told the Govorit Moskva radio station that the republic's parliament “doesn't give a damn about what some corrupt European journalists write.”
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
