Since the end of last March, the authorities in Chechnya have launched an unprecedentedly violent crackdown against male homosexuals, those presumed to be male homosexuals, and, it seems, against LGBT people in general.
A hundred people are reported to have already been abducted. Several are purportedly held in specific state prisons reminiscent of concentration camps. They are allegedly tortured and subjected to unbearable cruelty. Several of them have reportedly already died.
The LGBT Center Cรดte d’Azur, its member associations, and its allies wish to help draw the attention of the media, political decision-makers, and public opinion to the horror of these abuses. We aim to amplify the pressure on the Chechen and Russian authorities to ensure thorough investigations are conducted locally.
Nice has long-standing historical ties to Russia. Therefore, the LGBT Center Cรดte d’Azur calls on the elected officials of our city and department, as well as the local representatives of the presidential election candidates, to speak out and condemn these terrible abuses.
The LGBT Center Cรดte d’Azur expresses its full solidarity with the persecuted individuals and extends its support to LGBT activists attempting to help them.
The LGBT Center calls for support for the homosexuals of Chechnya and to affirm the commitment to respecting human rights.
