19 October 2019, 09:19
Complaint to ECtHR gives hope for inquiry into torture of alleged gay Altemirov
Volunteers of the Russian LGBT Network have evacuated almost 160 people from Chechnya and continue helping local homosexuals. According to the complaint filed by the Network in the interests of the murdered Chechen resident, Arbi Altemirov, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Strasbourg may oblige Russia to investigate the case.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 16, the Russian LGBT Network sent a complaint to the ECtHR on behalf of Arbi Altemirov, a resident of Chechnya, who fell victim to massive raids on gays conducted in Chechnya in early 2017. After a prolonged brutal torture, Altemirov died at home.
The Russian LGBT Network continues its project to evacuate gay men from Chechnya, Veronica Lapina, an activist, has reported.
In January 2019, the LGBT Network announced a new wave of gay persecutions in Chechnya. After that, Igor Kochetkov, the head of the Network, reported received threats.
The Altemirov's case is not the only one that reached the ECtHR, Ms Lapina has noted. She did not rule out that there would be other appeals to the ECtHR, since the Network has other facts of human rights violations in Chechnya.
The passivity of Altemirov's relatives is caused by fears for the safety of other family members, said Tatiana Lokshina, a deputy director of the "Human Rights Watch" (HRW) for Europe and Central Asia.
The position of Arbi Altemirov's relatives is caused by local traditions and fears for their lives, Svetlana Gannushkina, the head of the "Civil Assistance" Committee, believes.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 18, 2019 at 11:24 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
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