Video: International protests oppose Chechnya repression
A multitude of demonstrations around the world are seeking an end to the anti-LGBT repression in Chechnya.
The United States-based advocates at Human Rights First created the video “Eyes on Chechnya” to show many of the recent protests, which have been staged in Argentina, the United Kingdom, Lithuania, France, the Netherlands, Iceland, the United States, Mexico, Portugal, Ireland, Belgium, Canada, Israel, Austria, Spain, Australia, Chile, Russia and many other countries.
See also these updates on the anti-gay crackdown and other responses to it:
- Gay men fleeing violence in Chechnya are finally getting visas to escape. But the threat remains for those still inside. (May 26, 2017, BuzzFeed)
- Russia: Anti-Gay Purge in Chechnya; Victims of Punitive Round-Ups Still in Danger (May 25, 2017, Human Rights Watch)
- Chechnya’s gay concentration camp has been destroyed and moved to new location (May 25, 2017, Pink News)
- Chechen gay men hopeful of finding refuge in five countries (May 19, 2017, BBC)
Regarding the preliminary investigation by Russian authorities in Chechnya, reported here on May 22 in the article “Chechnya investigators told: 26 illegal killings in 2017″:
- Russia investigates ‘gay purge’ in Chechnya (May 26, 2017, The Guardian)
- Russia Is Reportedly Investigating an Alleged Gay Purge in Chechnya (May 25, 2017, Time)
Regarding protests against the Chechnya crackdown, Mariel Perez Santiago, senior associate at Human Rights First, writes:
I wanted to share a video that Human Rights First created to highlight the global solidarity around the ongoing human rights crisis in Chechnya. From Buenos Aires to Belfast to Vilnius, civil society has mobilized to call attention to the situation gay and bisexual men and other members of the LGBT community are facing in Chechnya and to call for accountability and justice.
As we continue to work alongside organizations in Russia leading the response to the crisis and the evacuation of those victimized by these abuses, they stress the importance of continued international attention to achieving justice and accountability. Of course, this video does not capture the full breadth of actions around the world, but is meant to highlight just some of the efforts led by civil society groups and individuals. We are grateful to Melissa Etheridge, who allowed us to use her song “Uprising of Love” in the video:
We are working to further amplify the message of the importance of continued global solidarity and would appreciate it if you would share this video with your networks, using #eyesonchechnya.
Related articles:
- Chechnya investigators told: 26 illegal killings in 2017 (May 22, 2017, 76crimes.com)
- Protests, pressure seek to end abuses in Chechnya (May 6, 2017, 76crimes.com)
- Silence about Chechnya from ‘family values’ defenders (April 18, 2017, 76crimes.com)
- Chechnya — What can you do? (April 17, 2017, 76crimes.com)
- Chechnya: Where making a call could cost your life (April 17, 2017, 76crimes.com)
- Chechnya threatens journalists for reporting mass arrests
- Chechnya anti-gay violence: Newspaper fears ‘retribution’ for reports (April 14, 2017, BBC)
- No ‘reliable information’ on Chechnya gay persecution, says Putin spokesman (April 14, 2017, The Guardian)
- Chechens tell of prison beatings and electric shocks in anti-gay purge: ‘They called us animals’ (April 13, 2017, The Guardian)
- Report: Chechnya opens concentration camps for homosexuals (April 11, 2017, 76crimes.com)
- Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov denies massacre of gay citizens saying ‘such people do not exist’ (April 10, 2017, The Independent)
- The State Department Issued A Strong Statement On LGBT Kidnappings In Russia (April 5, 2017, BuzzFeed)
- Russia leaves LGBT Chechen victims in danger (April 5, 2017, 76crimes.com)
- Report: Mass arrests of gays in Chechnya; 3 or more killed (April 3, 2017, 76crimes.com)
- Russian LGBT Network seeks to rescue imperiled gay Chechens (April 3, 2017, 76crimes.com)
- Chechen Authorities Arresting and Killing Gay Men, Russian Paper Says (April 1, 2017, The New York Times)
- Chechen police ‘have rounded up more than 100 suspected gay men’ (April 2, 2017, The Guardian)
