Statement by Ambassador Natasha Cayer on the situation of gay and bisexual men in Chechnya

Delegation of Canada to the OSCE
1143^rd meeting of the Permanent Council
April 27, 2017

Mr. Chairperson,

Canada has also been closely following the ongoing reports of the persecution of gay and bisexual men and women in Chechnya. We deplore all acts of violence and discrimination committed against individuals because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

We appreciate that the Russian Federation indicated during the Permanent Council meeting of April 6 that Federal authorities would look into the serious allegations of reprehensible acts committed by local authorities in Chechnya.

Since then and as already outlined by other delegations, journalists and civil society organisations have provided more deeply disturbing reports of interrogation, arbitrary detention, torture and killing of gay and bisexual men by security services.

Canada is deeply concerned by Russia’s apparent denial of credible reports of these crimes. The victims face very real and serious threats of retaliation. In this context, we urge the Russian government to clearly and publicly denounce the statements made by Chechen authorities that appear to reduce in importance, condone or even encourage violence against LGBTI persons. We further call on the Russian authorities to thoroughly investigate these reports and to immediately ensure the safety of all persons in Chechnya who may be at risk due to their sexual orientation.

LGBTI persons around the world, including in each and every OSCE participating State continue to be the targets of hate crimes committed by hateful individuals. Aside from the courageous efforts of civil society organizations which help those who face such violence, police and security services are the main recourse for victims seeking justice and safety. Allegations that police and security services are actively targeting LGBTI persons must be thoroughly addressed and corrective measures taken.

We would therefore welcome an update from the delegation of the Russian Federation on the situation and what actions have been taken to address it.

Thank you.