Police in Karachay-Cherkessia have arrested at least 16 local residents in a criminal case for organizing the activities of an extremist organization, human rights group SK SOS reported on April 30, citing a source.
According to human rights activists, the detained men were members of a local VKontakte group with exotic dating sites. This was one of the few LGBTQ+ groups in Karachay-Cherkessia that was not banned.
Police found one of the men, who posted photos and comments in the group and also spoke, on April 27. He was searched and his messages in the group were also examined. He was then transferred to the investigation committee, where he saw about 15 other detained men.
According to the source, most of the detainees are young men, and two others are about 40 years old. The spokesman, a human rights activist, said that at least one detainee was beaten in the investigation committee.
In Russia, persecution of LGBT people has become more active over the past three years after the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation declared the international LGBT movement “extremist” in November 2023 (such a movement does not exist). Subsequently, criminal cases were repeatedly filed in different regions under extremism articles.