Calls for Fair City to show support to the Russian LGBT community
The Perth- Pskov twinning partnership has seen visits from representatives greeted by Provost Liz Grant The Equality Network has called on the people of Perth to use their city’s twinning arrangements to support the LGBT community in Chechnya.
Perth is twinned with Pskov in the southern Russian region, where local newspaper reports claim hundreds of gay men are being murdered and tortured in the Chechan Republic. This comes after hundred of men were seized and rounded up for by the region’s militia leader Ramzan Kadyrov.Those who have escaped his kidnapping say the men are being heavily beaten, sometimes to death.
Last week the Equality Network in Scotland issued an urgent appeal to support the LGBT community in Chechnya against these attacks, and called on all cities in Scotland who are twinned with a Russian counterpart to take action.
A spokesperson said:“Glasgow is twinned with the city of Rostov-on-Don, Perth with Pskov, and Coatbridge with Gatchina, all towns and cities in Russia.
“Through twinning partnerships towns and cities can share knowledge and participate in cultural changes. With the current ongoing situation in Chechnya these links could prove a way to influence the government in Russia to halt the state-sponsored homophobia in Chechnya. With the situation reported by the Russian LGBT Network so grave all channels of communications we have could play their part in influencing activities in Chechnya.
“We’re asking you to contact your councillor. Tell them about the situation in Chechnya and urge them to send a message to their twin council asking them to pressure the Russian Government and Chechen authorities.”
This appeal comes as MSPs lodge a motion in Holyrood, backed by Amnesty Scotland, to support the LGBT communities under threat in southern Russia.
Christina McKelvie MSP, who lodged the motion with parliament, said:“This is an abhorrent and specifically targeted humanitarian crime against members of the LGBTI community in Chechnya.”