Tag: Chechnya

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News Round-Up: October 23, 2017

(via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• When you just really don’t want it to be Monday (above).

• Trust and believe the Trump administration will point to low open enrollment numbers for Obamacare to prove the program is “imploding.” What they won’t tell you is the administration cut the education & outreach budget for enrollment awareness by 90% in an effort to sabotage sign ups.

• We celebrated Las Vegas Pride this weekend – check out tons of pics from the Pride Festival via The Advocate.

• Scottish tourist Jamie Harron was ordered to spend 3 months in jail in seriously homophobic Dubai for barely touching a man’s hip as he carried a drink through a crowded bar. After losing his job and spending thousands in legal fees, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum ordered Harron to be released. Think twice before traveling to Dubai.

• The upcoming Thor Ragnorak will feature not one but two LGBT characters.

• Russian singer Zelimkhan Bakaev was allegedly arrested and tortured to death by authorities in Chechnya due to “suspicions of homosexuality.”

• Out actress-pop singer Hayley Kiyoko’s new single “Feelings” made a splash on TRL last week. Check out the video below.

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Podcast: Marriage Equality In Chile & Australia; National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month; “Where The Bears Are” Premieres 6th Season

In this week’s episode of The Randy Report podcast:

• Progress for marriage equality in Australia and Chile

• Gay and bisexual men are escaping persecution in Chechnya

• Acclaimed web series, “Where The Bears Are,” debuts its 6th season

• Facts, figures and more about National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255
The Trevor Project’s 24-hour crisis hotline for youth – 1-866-488-7386
The Trans Lifeline – 1-877-565-8860

All that and more on this episode of The Randy Report

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Podcast: Malta Approves Marriage Equality; Broadway’s “Falsettos” In Movie Theaters; New Music From Superfruit

In this episode of The Randy Report podcast:

• The island nation of Malta approves marriage equality with a huge lop-sided Parliament vote

• An attempt to block health care for transgender military service members fails in Congress

• The filmed version of the recent Broadway revival of “Falsettos,” currently being shown in movie theaters across the country, will be extended

• Pop duo Superfruit drops a new music video for their latest – “Worth It (Perfect)”

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report.

For past episodes, or to subscribe to the podcast for free, click here.

And, by the way, please feel free to share The Randy Report podcast with friends. It’s a great way to catch up on the week’s LGBT political, pop culture and entertainment headlines in about 15 minutes 🙂

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President Of Chechnya Tells REAL SPORTS Gays Should Be Removed To “Purify The Blood” Of Chechen People

HBO’s Real Sports is the first western outlet to score an interview with Ramzan Kadyrov, the Head of the Chechen Republic, who is one of Putin’s strongest allies.

Real Sports procured the interview in part because it is doing a piece on MMA in Chechnya.

At one point during the interview, Kadyrov says that if there are any gay people in Chechnya they should be removed in order to purify the blood of the Chechen people.

Oh – and then there’s the part where Kadyrov says “we will put the world on its knees and screw it from behind.”

He seems nice, huh?

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Podcast: Anti-Trans Bathroom Measure Fails In WA; Germany Close To Adopting Marriage Equality; New Out Music From Superfruit

In this week’s headlines on The Randy Report podcast:

• An anti-trans bathroom measure in Washington state fails in epic fashion

• Germany is close to adopting marriage equality

• Chechnya resumes rounding up and torturing gay men

• UK Prime Minister Theresa May sends best wishes for “Happy Pride” in London

• Nelsan Ellis (TRUE BLOOD’s “Lafayette Reynolds”) passes away at 39

• New music from Superfruit – the disco-tastic “Bad 4 Us”

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report.

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Chechnya Resumes Rounding Up/Torture Of Gay Men

Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov

Buzzfeed News is reporting that the rounding up and torture of gay men in Chechnya has resumed according to LGBT activist group, Russia LGBT Network.

The independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta first reported that around 100 people had been kidnapped in the crackdown in April, but Russian activists reported that sources in the region said the detentions had stopped following an international outcry.

Igor Kochetkov of the Russia LGBT Network, which is working to evacuate people targeted in the purge from the region, now tells BuzzFeed News the organization has gotten around 10 calls reporting new detentions since Ramadan ended on June 24.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has not only denied that the torture has taken place, he says that gays don’t even exist in his country.

No word as to whether or not President Trump brought up the issue to Russian President Putin during their meeting today at the G20 summit.

The White House has not addressed the issue since the first reports began in April.

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HRC To Trump: You Must Address Anti-Gay Torture In Chechnya With Russian President Putin

The Human Rights Campaign sent a letter from HRC President Chad Griffin to President Donald Trump urging Trump to forcefully raise concerns with Russian President Putin over Chechen attacks against gay and bisexual men.

“It is imperative that you forcefully raise this issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin when you meet him in Germany at the G-20 summit this week,” writes HRC President Chad Griffin. “I urge you to stand with the victims by calling on President Putin to take immediate action to bring the violence to an end and the perpetrators of these horrendous crimes to justice.”

Since news first broke in April, more than 100 gay and bisexual men have been arrested and detained without charge. While some have been set free, reports indicate that many remain in detention, where they have been beaten, tortured, and at least three have been killed.

Just last week, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution condemning the atrocities, and world leaders from British Prime Minister Theresa May to German Chancellor Angela Merkel have made it clear to President Putin that lawless detentions, arrests, torture, and murders of LGBTQ people are unacceptable.

HRC has repeatedly called on Secretary Tillerson and President Trump to forcefully condemn the atrocities in Chechnya. While Ambassador Haley and the State Department have issued statements, the White House has not addressed the crisis.

I am certain Trump has no plans to bring up the horrific treatment of gays in Chechnya.

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House Of Representatives Unanimously Passes Resolution Condemning Torture & Killing Of Gay Men In Chechnya

After months of news that gay and bisexual men of Chechnya were being rounded up, tortured and, in some cases killed, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution condemning the actions of the Chechen government.

Via press release:

The Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus commended the House of Representatives for passing H.Res.351, a bipartisan resolution condemning the detention, torture, and murders of gay and bisexual men in Chechnya. H.Res.351 was introduced by LGBT Caucus founding member and former House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27) on May 23rd and passed in the House Foreign Affairs Committee on May 25th by unanimous voice vote. H.Res.351 has 83 bipartisan cosponsors. H.Res.351 passed by voice vote.

“I’m proud that the House passed this strong resolution condemning the recent violence targeting gay men in Chechnya. Now, it’s critical that we do more to ensure those fleeing horrific violence can relocate somewhere safe,” said LGBT Caucus CoChair Rep. David Cicilline (RI-01). “This is an important step, but there is much more work left to be done.”

“We will continue to stand united with the LGBT community and shine a bright light on these atrocities, which are encouraged by the evil Putin regime in Russia, in order to help ensure that those who are responsible for these crimes are held to account for their despicable actions,” said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27)

“The People’s House has now made its collective and unanimous voice known: the situation in Chechnya cannot stand,” said LGBT Equality Caucus Vice Chair Rep. Alan Lowenthal (CA-47). “We as a nation must lead the world in acting. It is our duty and responsibility to be the beacon on the hill that leads the way. It is now up to President Trump, Secretary of State Tillerson, and our United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley to follow through on the consensus of the House and bring as much domestic and international political pressure as possible on the Russian government to rein in these deplorable human rights violations.”

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HBO’s Vice News Goes Inside Chechen Prison Where Gay Men Were Tortured & Killed

HBO’s Vice News goes inside the prison in Chechnya where gay men were allegedly held, tortured and killed as part of the country’s “anti-gay purge.”

VICE News obtained exclusive access to the now-abandoned buildings where the local prison warden and his officers reportedly beat and tortured men they suspected of being gay. Human Rights Watch has confirmed that this site is at the center of their investigation into homophobic abuse in Chechnya.

Ayub Kataev, prison warden and head of the ministry of internal affairs, initially stuck to the official Chechen response: absolute denial, not only about abuse but even the existence of gay people. “We don’t think these people exist among us,” he told VICE News, accusing those who reported the story of seeking to destabilize Chechnya.

“My officers would not even want to touch such people, if they exist, let alone beating or torturing them.” Kataev continued, accusing both the victims and Human Rights Watch of lying. Kataev suggested that the men making claims of torture were doing so in order “to get asylum, to leave the country and obtain free foreign citizenship.”

At one point, Kataev lines up his officers and asks them, for the cameras, “Was there a single case when I told you to arrest some kind of gays? Have you even heard about them?”

It will not surprise you to learn they all obediently answer, “No.”

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French President Macron To Putin: We Need “Complete Truth” Regarding Torture Of Gay Men In Chechnya

President Putin of Russia (L), President Macron of France (R)

While President Trump has yet to address the horrific torture of gay men in Chechnya, newly-elected French President Macron brought up the subject immédiatement in his first face to face meeting with Russian President Putin.

From the New York Times:

On human rights, Mr. Macron said he had raised the troubles facing gay and transgender people in Chechnya as well as those of nongovernmental organizations.

Mr. Macron said that he had discussed the reports of collective punishment of gay men in Chechnya with Mr. Putin and that they had agreed on a “very regular monitoring” of the situation.

Mr. Macron said Mr. Putin had told him he had taken measures to “establish the complete truth on the activities of local authorities” in Chechnya, but he did not specify what those measures were. Chechnya is under the control of a pro-Kremlin leader, Ramzan A. Kadyrov.

“As for me, I will be constantly vigilant on these issues, which are in keeping with our values,” Mr. Macron said.

Although he did not dispute Mr. Macron’s characterization, Mr. Putin did not mention gay people during the news conference.

In related news, Joël Deumier, president of French LGBT rights organization SOS Homophobie, told FranceInfo that France has started taking in gay refugees from Chechnya.

Earlier this month, Buzzfeed reported that the U.S. State Department has denied visas to gay Chechens fleeing persecution.