Three LGBTI organizations file genocide charges against Chechnya

Three French LGBTI groups have filed a complaint against Chechnya with the International Criminal Court.

The groups accuse Chechnya of holding ‘a policy of genocide’ towards gay people and blame president Ramzan Kadyrov and state officials for a ‘wave of persecution’.

Etienne Deshoulières, representing Stop Homophobia, Mousse, and Comite Idaho France, called Kadyrov ‘the architect’ of ‘a genocide’.

He also called him ‘the organizer of torture camps with a desire to exterminate homosexuals’.

The organizations are urging the court to investigate Chechnya on the claims.

They cite the recent case of a 17-year-old boy who was outed to his family.

The teen was thrown off a 9th floor balcony by his uncle, who wanted to ‘wash the shame’ off the family.

Alexandre Marcel, who chairs Comité Idaho France, said filing a complaint with the ICC was ‘the only way to pursue Nazi behavior’.

On 1 April, Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta published a report called Honor Killings, in which they revealed Chechnya was systematically persecuting gay men.

According to the newspaper, the country is operating a concentration camp for gay and bi men.

An estimated 100 men were imprisoned in the camps, and at least three of them were killed.

One of them, Novaya Gazeta said, died of torture and the other two were killed by relatives.

Survivors spoke of violence and torture, in at least one cast by a ‘homemade electric chair’, so they would give up the names of other gay men.

As of 25 April, it is believed Chechnya is operating six concentration camps, with at least 200 men illegally detained there.

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