04 May 2017, 15:36
"Life" denies data of "Novaya Gazeta" about gay prison in Argun
A month after the publication by the newspaper "Novaya Gazeta" of an article about a "prison" for gays, the chief of the Argun police showed journalists of the "Life" the building, which was discussed in the article. At present, the building looks abandoned. Meanwhile, not all of its territory was shown in photographs and videos.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 1, the newspaper "Novaya Gazeta" published a material on mass detentions and killings in Chechnya of men suspected of unconventional sexual orientation. On April 4, the "Novaya Gazeta" reported on a "secret prison" for gays in Argun, and another similar prison was reported by the "Radio Liberty".
According to the "Novaya Gazeta", the "secret prison" for gays was arranged in several empty buildings in Kadyrov Street. Earlier, the buildings accommodated the military commandant's office and the ROVD (District Interior Division).
On May 3, the "Life" published a report about the visit to the former building of the Argun ROVD. Ayub Kataev, the chief of the ROVD, showed the territory of the building to the journalists.
"For more than a year, no one entered the building, mentioned by the 'Novaya Gazeta' as a prison for gays," notes Ayub Kataev.
It should be noted that the edition "Life" is owned by the holding "National Media Group". In September 2015, Alina Kabaeva, who earlier held positions at the Public Chamber of Russia and the State Duma, became the chair of the board of directors of the holding "National Media Group", the "TASS" reports.
Reports about persecution of gays in Chechnya have caused a wide response. The US Department of State, the British Foreign Office, and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) expressed their concern over the above information.
Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.
