LGBT activists in Europe. Photo: unison.org.uk

03 May 2017, 21:18

Foreign Ministers of five EU countries urge to defend gays' rights in Chechnya

A collective letter with a request to influence the situation with the persecution of gays in Chechnya was sent to Sergey Lavrov, the Russia's Foreign Minister, by his colleagues from Great Britain, Sweden, the Netherlands, France and Germany.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 24, Federica Mogherini, the supreme representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, stated, at her meeting with Sergey Lavrov, the need to protect the gays' rights in Chechnya. On May 2, Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, called on Russian President to ensure the respect of sexual minorities' rights.

"We urge the Russian authorities to conduct investigations in connection with these terrible accusations and guarantee the safety of activists and journalists who deal with this issue," the letter says.

The letter emphasizes that it is necessary "to stop all possible harassments of members of the LGBT community in Chechnya," the "Agence France-Presse" reports.

In her turn, Maria Zakharova, Director of the Department of Information and Press of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said that the MFA had not received the letter.

However, Jean-Marc Ayrault, the French Foreign Minister, has confirmed, in his Twitter, that the letter was sent to the Russia's MFA.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.

All news
НАСТОЯЩИЙ МАТЕРИАЛ (ИНФОРМАЦИЯ) ПРОИЗВЕДЕН И РАСПРОСТРАНЕН ИНОСТРАННЫМ АГЕНТОМ ООО “МЕМО”, ЛИБО КАСАЕТСЯ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ ИНОСТРАННОГО АГЕНТА ООО “МЕМО”.

November 03, 2024 21:30

November 03, 2024 18:18

  • Court slightly reduces sentences of Gadjiev, Rizvanov, and Tambiev

    In his final speech, Dagestani journalist Abdulmumin Gadjiev has requested court to fully acquit him in the case on financing terrorism. However, the military court of appeal only reduced by two months the sentences for Abdulmumin Gadjiev, Kemal Tambiev, and Abubakar Rizvanov.

November 02, 2024 22:13

  • Priest Pivovarov calls news of his death a provocation

    Viktor Pivovarov, a priest from Slavyansk-on-Kuban, has been subjected to stalking after the start of a criminal prosecution in a case on fakes about the Russian Army. The stalker threatens Viktor Pivovarov, insults him online, and disseminate false messages about him.

November 02, 2024 22:11

November 01, 2024 23:54

News archive