Russia claimed they can’t find any LGBT in Chechnya following shocking allegations of torture camps
The justice minister said they can't find any evidence to support the allegations
By Steve Brown
Russia’s justice minister has claimed they can’t find any LGBT people in Chechnya after the shocking allegations emerged last year.
Alexander Konovalov told the United Nations on Monday (May 14) that the country – which is renowned for its anti-LGBT+ laws – has investigated the allegations and claim they can’t find any evidence to support it, PinkNews reported
Konovalav said: “The investigation showed that there were not any such incidents.
“There weren’t even representatives of LGBTI in Chechnya. We weren’t able to find anyone.
“Of course, what’s most important is to ensure full verification of all allegations of possible violations of human rights of the law of the Russian Federation.
“And I’m sure that in that area that work is being done, just as there are investigations being done into crimes that have been committed.”
A report in Novaya Gazeta – a Russian newspaper – claimed that the LGBT+ community were being targeted for their sexuality and taken to concentration camps in the southern Russian republic.
However, the Chechen leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, insisted there were no gay people in the area.
LGBT+ groups claimed that more than 200 gay people were held in secret prisons where they were tortured and beaten.
At least 26 were believed to have been killed.