Chechen authorities blame human rights defenders for what happened with Taramova

Human rights defenders were involved in Khalimat Taramova's abduction, while Chechen law enforcers acted within the framework of the law, said Akhmed Dudaev, Minister for Nationalities' Matters of Chechnya. He reiterated the thesis of the Chechen and Russian authorities that there are no members of sexual minorities in the region.

Taramova may come under pressure in Chechnya, her friend Anna Manylova has stated. According to her story, Taramova wanted to leave Makhachkala, but could not do it before the law enforcers' visit because she had no passport.

Anna Manylova noted that she saw bruises on Taramova's legs in the shelter and linked them with domestic violence. "Khalimat said that at home she was under pressure of her father and her husband. She had long wanted to get a divorce, but her husband and her family were against it," said Manylova. When Taramova's father appeared in the apartment-shelter, she threatened to commit suicide.

Natalia Khodyreva, a member of the Saint Petersburg Human Rights Centre and a founder of the Crisis Centre for Women, fears that Taramova may be subjected to "corrective rape" or, under threat, forced to accuse the shelter and the human rights defender, Svetlana Anokhina, the "Sever.Realii"* has reported.

Nurdi Nukhazhiev, the Chechen Ombudsperson, has stated that he had visited Taramova after she returned home, and she "was in a good mood, feels safe and has no complaints."

Minister Akhmed Dudaev regarded the incident with Taramova as abduction and accused human rights defenders, who had tried to help the girl in leaving Northern Caucasus, of the abduction. According to his version, the incident was "artificially inflated" by those who oppose traditional values and customs.

Earlier, Chechen authorities stated that if there had been gays in the region, their relatives would have dealt with them themselves.