At Lithuanians’ initiative, Council of Europe condemns LGBT persecution in Chechnya

The text of the resolution was put forward to the Strasbourg-based organization by Emanuelis Zingeris and Kęstutis Masiulis, both members of the Seimas.

“The recent reports of large-scale abductions, secret detentions, torture and extrajudicial killings of LGBT persons in Chechnya is a new challenge to the Council of Europe. the resolution reads.

“The State-orchestrated mass scale persecution of a target group based on the sexual orientation presents a grave concern of mass atrocities taking place within the Council of Europe Member State, and compels the Council of Europe to take urgent steps and to adopt a Resolution ordering a special investigation into the matter,” it says.

Zingeris told BNS that the resolution had been unanimously supported by parliamentarians from different political parties. Human rights activists and journalists from Russia briefed lawmakers in Strasbourg on the situation.

“We see a Hitler-style policy. These are crimes against humanity. I was particularly struck when the Russian democrats told us that families were encouraged to kill their own children,” he said.

According to him, sexual minority organizations are asking EU countries to provide asylum to fugitive homosexuals.