In response to the horrific human rights violations against the LGBT+ community in Chechnya, GCN, along with other LGBT+ community organisations from across Ireland, will stage a protest outside the Russian Embassy taking place on Monday, February 4th.

There have been reports of murder and imprisonment taking place in Chechnya as far back as 2017. The Russian LGBT+ Network recently released information that since December last year alone up to 40 people have been illegally detained, while a further two have died as a result of torture. 

The Human Rights Campaign, America’s largest LGBT+ civil rights organisation, released a report confirming the violations. It stated that LGBT+ people were detained in makeshift prisons, where they were tortured and in some cases killed: “The evidence clearly shows that the allegations of very serious human rights violations in the Chechen Republic of the Russian Federation have been found confirmed. This concerns in particular allegations of harassment and persecution, arbitrary or unlawful arrests or detentions, torture, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously announced there would be an investigation but nothing has been forthcoming, and the US President has made no mention of it at all. Most worrying, Chechen Leader Ramzan Kadyrov has denied there being any LGBT+ people in Chechnya, but said that if they did exist they would have been forced to leave the country or have been killed by their families.

This Monday, February 4th at 6.30pm, the Irish LGBT+ community will protest and stand in solidarity with our LGBT+ family in Chechnya outside the Russian Embassy, located at 184-186 Orwell Road, Rathgar, Dublin 14. We are calling on the Irish government to officially respond to the human rights violations being perpetrated in the region.

Below is a statement signed by Irish LGBT+ organisations from across the country.

The Irish LGBT+ community stands in solidarity with our LGBT+ family in Chechnya.

• We condemn the escalating violence against LGBT+ people and urge An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, to publicly condemn the anti-LGBT+ crackdown.
• The Irish Government must raise this issue at the highest possible level with Russian leaders and call for an immediate end to this harrowing persecution.
• The Irish government needs to live up to its international protection obligations to recognise and protect Chechen refugees who reach Ireland, as well as using its full consular influence, facilities and resources to support The Russian LGBT+ Network in its vital work in Russia and the region at this time in affording safe options to those at risk”.  
• We call for the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate the human rights situation in the Chechen Republic

The Irish LGBT+ community will not let this matter rest or fall out of the news cycle. We will continue to stand with the LGBT+ community in Chechnya and demand that the Russian authorities put an end to the violence and bring those responsible to justice.

In Solidarity,

Amach LGBT Galway
Amnesty Ireland
BeLonG To
Dublin Bears
Dublin Pride
Dundalk Outcomers
Free Legal Advice Centres
Gay Switchboard
GCN
International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival
Irish Council For Civil Liberties
LGBT Ireland
LINC
NUI Maynooth
NXF
Outhouse
Rainbow Project Belfast
Shout Out
Teach Solais LGBT+ Resource Centre
TENI
This Is Me
USI

Those who wish to join the protest and stand with Chechnya’s LGBT+ community and allies are invited to attend. More information is available on the event page here.