Russia might finally open an investigation into Chechnya's alleged mass crackdown on gay men

Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova says Maxim Lapunov’s police report should be enough to open a criminal investigation into the alleged mass torture of gay men in Chechnya.

Moskalkova says officials have also withdrawn a previous refusal to open a criminal case. She also criticized investigators’ “insufficient activity” in the search for witnesses identified by Lapunov.

On October 16, Lapunov filed a formal report with Russia’s Investigative Committee about the persecution of gay men by police in Chechnya.

Independent media outlets first reported a state-sponsored crackdown on gay men in Chechnya earlier this year, though Chechen officials have denied the charges, insisting that gay people do not exist in Chechnya.