Three European countries have accelerated the procedure for issuing visas to homosexuals from Russia’s republic Chechnya
The embassies of three European states have decided to expedite the issuance of visas to the residents of Chechnya that the Republic's authorities are persecuting because of their homosexuality, as reported by Meduza news outlet citing the head of the council of the "Russian LGBT Network", Tatiana Vinnichenko. She did not specify which countries are involved, fearing that representatives from Chechen diasporas could threaten the asylum seekers.
In addition, Vinnichenko said that two meetings of refugees from Chechnya with representatives of the embassies were organized in Moscow, where "the guys told their stories" and the employees of the "Russian LGBT Network" confirmed them.
"Thanks to this, the process of negotiations has led to an accelerated procedure for issuing visas. After all, it is in principle difficult for nationals from this region to get a visa to the Schengen countries," Vinnichenko noted.
In addition to issuing visas, activists help refugees who do not have overseas passports.
According to the "Russian LGBT Network”, there are currently more than one hundred people in Chechnya who continue to be forcefully detained.
"The people who contacted us, tell us how they were placed, 18-20 people in the cell; about certain lists, which the local police uses - that is, it's not a random chain, but a systematic organized campaign," Vinnichenko said.
According to her, "seizures" of citizens had already occurred by December 2016.
The Russian Novaya Gazeta issued a statement on April 13 that threats were being sent to journalists of the editorial office. The text says that after the publication of the article, the editorial board had "serious fears for the safety" of its employees. The publication urged "the Russian authorities to do everything possible to stop the actions aimed at inciting hatred and enmity towards journalists who fulfill their professional duties."
The reason for the statement was a meeting of religious leaders and leaders of public opinion in Chechnya in the main mosque of Grozny. The resolution after the meeting said: "We promise that retribution will be brought to the true instigators, wherever and by whoever they are, without a time period".