{"id":52107,"date":"2017-04-12T20:20:36","date_gmt":"2017-04-13T00:20:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/hundreds-protest-gay-concentration-camps-in-chechnya-outside-russian-embassy-in-london-watch\/"},"modified":"2017-04-12T20:20:36","modified_gmt":"2017-04-13T00:20:36","slug":"hundreds-protest-gay-concentration-camps-in-chechnya-outside-russian-embassy-in-london-watch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/hundreds-protest-gay-concentration-camps-in-chechnya-outside-russian-embassy-in-london-watch\/","title":{"rendered":"Hundreds Protest \u2018Gay Concentration Camps\u2019 in Chechnya Outside Russian Embassy in London: WATCH"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hundreds Protest \u2018Gay Concentration Camps\u2019 in Chechnya Outside Russian Embassy in London: WATCH<\/b><\/p>\n

Hundreds of people attended a protest on Wednesday outside the Russian embassy in London in reaction to recent reports that more than 100 gay men have\u00a0been rounded up in \u2018concentration camps\u2019<\/a>, tortured, and some executed\u00a0in the southern Russian republic of Chechnya.<\/p>\n

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Signs and flowers outside Russian Embassy in London. Stop the torture of #LGBT<\/a> people in #Chechnya<\/a>!@SadiqKhan t.co\/5yNy7Lwr6Y<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/FBvmdiAO2v<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Stefan Ferreira (@stefanf28) April 12, 2017<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

London\u2019s Evening Standard<\/em> reported on the protest<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Michael Salter-Church, co-chair of Pride in London, said: \u201cIt sends a shudder down the spine to hear about concentration camps<\/span><\/span> in 2017.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cRussia\u2019s abuses cannot be ignored.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peter Scott-Presland, 68, said: \u201cI wanted to show<\/span><\/span> solidarity so they know they\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are being supported and we send them all of our love.\u201d<\/p>\n

Steve Peck, 59, added: \u201cThis is happening internationally\u2026it is unacceptable and has to stop.\u201d<\/p>\n

Videos of the demonstration have been posted to social media:<\/p>\n

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VIDEO: Hundreds outside #Russian<\/a> Embassy in London to protest torture, abuse and murder of gays<\/a> in #Chechnya<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/R51Fp9TGOo<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Harvey Day (@h94day) April 12, 2017<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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So proud of my community #loveislove<\/a> #Chechnya<\/a> Peaceful show of love & solidarity outside @RussianEmbassy<\/a> #Humanrights<\/a> Well done @danophile<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/GdyvIM7wcM<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Linda Mason (@linda_mason4) April 12, 2017<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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#RussianEmbassy<\/a> #London<\/a> #Chechnya<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/IX5SDZA2GU<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Rebecca Gray (@becky_101) April 12, 2017<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Pink triangle of flowers outside the @RussianEmbassy<\/a> now for the #ChechnyaProtest<\/a>. Thank you to all who came. pic.twitter.com\/PqfhNjrSOO<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Steve Taylor (@danophile) April 12, 2017<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Numerous petitions have sprung up online urging authorities to take action regarding the situation.<\/p>\n

A Change.org petition with more than 75,000 signatures as of this posting<\/a> calls<\/a> on\u00a0the Prosecutor General of Russia to investigate the attacks on gay<\/a> men<\/a>.<\/p>\n

An Amnesty petition with more than 83,000 signatures as of this posting<\/a> calls<\/a> for the Russian and Chechen authorities to investigate these abductions and bring those responsible to justice.<\/p>\n

Those wishing to do more can email the Russian embassy in their country and demand answers. The list of Russian embassy contacts is HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Chechnya<\/p>\n

The U.S. State Department released a statement on Friday night<\/a> in response to reports of the secret prisons.<\/p>\n

It was the agency\u2019s second statement on the issue:<\/p>\n

We are increasingly concerned about the situation in the Republic of Chechnya, where there have been numerous credible reports indicating the detention of at least 100 men<\/a> on the basis of their sexual orientation. Some reports indicate many of those arrested have been tortured, in some cases leading to death. We categorically condemn the persecution of individuals based on their sexual orientation or any other basis.<\/p>\n

We are deeply disturbed by recent public statements by Chechen authorities that condone and incite violence against LGBTI persons. We urge Russian federal authorities to speak out against such practices, take steps to ensure the release of anyone wrongfully detained, conduct an independent and credible investigation into these, reports and hold any perpetrators responsible.<\/p>\n

ALSO:\u00a0State Dept Calls for Inquiry into Murders of Gay Men in Chechnya Amid Horrific Reports of \u2018Secret Prison\u2019<\/a><\/em><\/h2>\n

The first, on April 6<\/a>, called on the Russian government to investigate.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe urge the Russian government to conduct an independent and credible investigation into the alleged killings and mass arrests, and hold the perpetrators responsible,\u201d said the State Department statement, provided to media outlets.<\/p>\n

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Russia today, There is no word on whether or not the situation in Chechnya was discussed, but the Human Rights Campaign called on Tillerson to speak up:<\/p>\n

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On visit to Moscow, Sec. Tillerson can’t turn blind eye to citizens being tortured, killed on suspicion of being gay<\/a> t.co\/HkLotBh5q1<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) April 11, 2017<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis has called on UN Ambassador Nikki Haley to speak out:<\/p>\n

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I’m calling on @nikkihaley<\/a> to speak up against the reported #LGBTQ<\/a> concentration camps in Chechnya. RT to join me. t.co\/NM05ag67fA<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Sarah Kate Ellis (@sarahkateellis) April 11, 2017<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The NYT<\/a>\u00a0was the first U.S. news outlet to report on the detentions, in early April:<\/p>\n

On Saturday, a leading Russian opposition newspaper confirmed a story already circulating among human rights activists: The Chechen authorities were arresting and killing gay<\/a> men<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2026The men<\/a> were detained \u201cin connection with their nontraditional sexual orientation, or suspicion of such,\u201d the newspaper, Novaya Gazeta<\/a>, reported, citing Russian federal law enforcement officials, who blamed the local authorities.<\/p>\n

By Saturday, the paper reported, and an analyst of the region with her own sources confirmed, that more than 100 gay<\/a> men<\/a> had been detained. The newspaper had the names of three murder victims, and suspected many others had died in extrajudicial killings.<\/p>\n

RELATED:\u00a0State Department \u2018Deeply Disturbed\u2019 by Reports of Detention, Torture, and Murder of Gay Men in Chechnya<\/a><\/em><\/h2>\n

The Guardian<\/em> added<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Chechnya, the command was given for a \u2018prophylactic sweep\u2019 and it went as far as real murders,\u201d Novaya Gazeta reported.<\/p>\n

The report was denied by the spokesman of the Chechen president, Ramzan Kadyrov, who suggested there were no gay<\/a> people in the Muslim-majority region. Ali Karimov said, according to the state news agency RIA Novosti: \u201cIt\u2019s impossible to persecute those who are not in the republic.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf such people existed in Chechnya, law enforcement would not have to worry about them, as their own relatives would have sent them to where they could never return,\u201d Karimov added.<\/p>\n

New unverified reports have emerged recently from alleged survivors of the Russian torture that tell of a secret prison where gay<\/a> men<\/a> are kept and tortured, along with disturbing images of physical abuse.<\/p>\n

The post Hundreds Protest \u2018Gay Concentration Camps\u2019 in Chechnya Outside Russian Embassy in London: WATCH<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a>\n<\/div>\n

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Hundreds Protest ‘Gay Concentration Camps’ in Chechnya Outside Russian Embassy in London: WATCH<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n