A Russian travel agent accused of organizing LGBTQ tours died in a Moscow jail. Officials say it was suicide, but advocates aren’t convinced.

Andrey Kotov, a Russian businessman accused of running a travel agency catering to LGBTQ+ tourists, died in a Moscow jail days before the New Year. His arrest came amid a broader crackdown on queer people in Russia. The exact circumstances of his death, however, remain unclear. While initial reports suggested suicide, human rights advocates and friends have contested this narrative, alleging that Kotov could have been either tortured to death or deliberately killed by the authorities. Here’s what we know so far about the events surrounding Kotov’s death.

Andrey Kotov, a 48-year-old Moscow businessman and head of the travel agency Men Travel, was found dead in a Moscow pre-trial detention center on December 29. Russian prosecutors had charged Kotov with “extremism,” accusing him of organizing tours for LGBTQ+ people.

Initial reports from Moskovsky Komsomolets and the Telegram channels Baza and Mash, both of which have ties to law enforcement, claimed that Kotov died by suicide. A law enforcement source told RIA Novosti that “cuts were found” on Kotov’s body. The anonymous Telegram channel VChK-OGPU reported that a razor blade was recovered in his cell, but no suicide note was found.

Kotov’s lawyer told the human rights group OVD-Info that investigators said Kotov took his own life around 4:00 a.m. local time. Moskovsky Komsomolets wrote that a cellmate discovered his body at that time. However, Eva Merkacheva, a member of Russia’s Presidential Council for Human Rights, told TASS that Kotov was found dead at around 2:00 a.m.

Russia’s Investigative Committee, the Federal Penitentiary Service, and the Prosecutor’s Office have launched inquiries into Kotov’s death. According to Kommersant, investigators are considering whether to bring charges against the remand prison’s staff for negligence or abetting suicide.

However, the human rights project Gulagu.net challenged the suicide claims, asserting that as of yet, no evidence has been produced to support them. A source told the project that Kotov had been subjected to sexual violence, placed in a lower-status prisoner category, and extorted for money. According to Gulagu.net, guards “intentionally created conditions to pressure Kotov,” spreading rumors among prisoners about his sexual orientation and his involvement in organizing LGBTQ+ tours. These claims have not been independently verified.

Journalist Alex Moor, a friend of Kotov, went even further, describing his death as a political “murder.” Moor speculated that Kotov either died due to torture or was deliberately killed under Kremlin orders.

Kotov was arrested on November 30 and charged with organizing and participating in an “extremist organization.” Investigators alleged that his travel club, Men Travel, organized trips that involved “LGBT propaganda.” Kotov denied the charges, stating his company focused solely on tourism. He claimed that during his detention, he was tortured with electric shocks to extract testimony. Kotov was remanded in custody on December 2 and placed in solitary confinement almost immediately. The detention center reportedly refused to accept packages with his daily medications.

A week before his death, investigators allegedly brought additional charges against Kotov, accusing him of producing child pornography. According to Moskovsky Komsomolets, these accusations were based on claims that Kotov had secretly filmed minors in locker rooms. These allegations remain unverified, and Kotov’s defense team has not confirmed the existence of a second case.

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