On Thursday 6 April, the spokesperson for the European External Action Service called for "prompt, effective and thorough investigations into the reports of abductions and killings of gay men in Chechnya", Russia.
In a press release, the spokesperson said that these investigations were "indispensable so that anyone found guilty of or complicit in such crimes is brought to justice". The spokesperson said that if the allegations of abduction, torture and otherwise ill-treated homosexuals were confirmed, these "serious human rights violations" would add to "the long list of human rights abuses in Chechnya". "Instead of supporting the rights of the victims, some officials of the Chechen Republic have even attempted to justify the violence against them", the spokesperson stated. "The Russian authorities have taken international human rights commitments that bind them at all levels to ensure the safety of all persons who may be at risk in Chechnya due to their sexual orientation", the spokesperson added.
According to international human rights organisations and media, over a hundred gay men in Chechnya have been abducted in recent days, as part of a coordinated campaign. They have reportedly been tortured and otherwise ill-treated, and forced to disclose other LGBTI individuals they know. Reports also indicate that at least three men have been killed by their captors.
The European Parliament's ALDE and S&D groups have also criticised this violence against homosexuals. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)