Tatiana Moskalkova
Data on kidnappings and torture of gay people in Chechnya are not confirmed, said the Commissioner for human rights in Russia, Tatiana Moskalkova, according to TASS.
According to Moskalkova, reports on the situation in the Republic it was presented by the General Prosecutor’s office, Investigative Committee and the regional Department of the Ministry of internal Affairs and Prosecutor’s office. “They said that cases of missing people appeals to him on this occasion was not. I asked representatives of the human rights community (Chechnya) to check about the secret prisons, they were at the address indicated in the “Novaya Gazeta”, but also has not established the existence of secret prisons,” — said Moskalkova.
According to her, there [at this location] is a detention center, which was examined “every corner”, but never found evidence is described in “Novaya Gazeta” situation.
Moskalkova has complained that the lack of published material the names and specific facts of violence against people further complicates the test. She noted that he asked the correspondent of “Novaya Gazeta” to provide this information, but have not yet received information.
Ombusman reminded of the existence in Russia of witness protection programmes, the extent of changing their names and appearance. “I urge, if you committed a serious crime or violence, so people are not afraid to address in law enforcement agencies and, of course, the Commissioner for human rights. Otherwise, the situation becomes rather complicated and for testing, and findings of the audit,” — said Moskalkova.
The material of “Novaya Gazeta” about the repressions against residents of Chechnya, suspected of homosexuality, published 1 APR. According to journalists, they are placed in a special prison, where he was tortured and forced to disclose the names of other alleged gays.
Shortly after the publication in the Central mosque of Grozny has passed meeting in which have taken part about 15 thousand people. During this meeting, the Advisor to the head of the Republic Adam Shahidov has accused “Novaya Gazeta” in a defamation and called her journalists enemies of the faith and the homeland. In conclusion, the conference adopted the Memorandum, noting suffered “the age-old foundations of the Chechen society” insult. “We promise that retribution will overtake the true instigators, wherever and whoever they were, without a limitation period”, — noted in the resolution.
13 April, “Novaya Gazeta” wrote about the threats against its journalists. The next day the situation said in the Kremlin, saying that there are against any “methods of influence, which would be contrary to the law.” Press Secretary of the Kremlin Dmitry Peskov urged to resolve the conflict “prescribed by law and challenge the invocation of the responsibility of the authors of those or other published materials.”