“We don’t have any gays…To purify our blood, if there are any here, take them.” These are the horrifying words of Ramzan Kadyrov, given in a bizarre interview over the weekend to HBO’s Real Sports. Kadyrov, the leader of the Russian republic of Chechnya, Putin protégé and petty tyrant, made these remarks when confronted with reports of gay men being imprisoned and killed on his watch. If history teaches us anything, it is that when men like Kadyrov speak of “purification,” the world should listen — and act accordingly.
And the United States is listening. Members of the House of Representatives who typically stand on opposite sides of issues like LGBTQ freedom or religious liberty recently joined forces to condemn the reported detention, torture, and persecution of gay men in Chechnya. This demonstration of unity reflects America’s continuing will to project the best of our nation’s values overseas, even as we may disagree on domestic policy.
In early April, the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta reported that Chechen authorities had detained and tortured more than 100 men suspected to be gay. The Guardian echoed the report April 13 under the headline “Chechens tell of prison beatings and electric shocks in anti-gay purge.” According to the latest reports, at least 27 men have been killed in this purge, and many more have fled the region.
Chechen officials have denied the existence of any campaign of persecution, ominously saying: “If such people existed in Chechnya, law enforcement would not have to worry about them, as their own relatives would have sent them to where they could never return.”
These crimes are an attack on civilized society, representing a disregard for human life that demands a response. House Resolution 351, introduced by Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) with 20 Republican co-sponsors, passed easily by voice vote. The U.S. Senate is likewise poised to pass Senator Toomey’s (R-PA) companion resolution, ensuring that the U.S. Congress will present a united front to the world against the crimes in Chechnya. But we can do more.
As a republic of the Russian Federation, Chechnya is subject to Russia’s laws. Moreover, Kadyrov, the so-called “Strongman of Instagram” (his nearly three million followers on the social media platform are treated to posts of the tyrant with his exotic pets and personal militia), was installed by Russian President Vladimir Putin himself. President Trump has boasted of his relationship with President Putin. Now is the time to leverage that relationship to challenge Russia to hold those responsible for these abuses accountable.
The administration has taken a first step. In April, United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley wrote that “this violation of human rights cannot be ignored.” She rightly warned that if “left unchecked, discrimination and human rights abuses can lead to destabilization and conflict.” Ambassador Haley and the State Department should be encouraged to continue prioritizing LGBTQ human rights as a matter of U.S. foreign policy — and not just in Chechnya.
The events in Chechnya understandably ignited concern across our nation, fueled by Americans’ increased interest in Russia since the election and the legitimate horror invoked by mention of gay people held in “concentration camps.” But violence against LGBTQ people, including violence condoned by state actors, is not limited to Russia.
In our own hemisphere and in what are Christian-majority nations, LGBTQ Americans visiting the Caribbean are regularly advised to keep a low profile and avoid hand-holding, kissing, or other simple displays of affection. This is especially true in vacation destinations like Jamaica and Barbados, where homosexuality is still criminalized. The Inter-American Commission of Human Rights reported 600 LGBTQ homicides in its member states within a single year. Between 2008 and 2014, Latin America accounted for 78 percent of the reported murders of transgender people worldwide. These statistics and more amount to what a UN Special Rapporteur called an “alarming pattern of grotesque homicides … and broad impunity for their perpetration, sometimes with the suspected complicity of investigative authorities.”
These are nations where the United States has deep and important relationships, and where we can immediately exert influence to ensure respect for the basic freedoms of LGBTQ people. We cannot turn a blind eye to tragedies this close to home, even if it means telling our friends and neighbors some hard truths. The Vladimir Putins and Ramzan Kadyrovs of the world will not respect us until our calls for human rights are consistent and clear.
It is time for America to be a force for ending the criminalization of LGBTQ people worldwide. Where archaic laws punish people for their sexual orientation or gender identity, our embassies can call for change. Where local law enforcement turns a blind eye to anti-LGBTQ violence, we can speak out against lawlessness. Together, as Republicans and Democrats, we can promote life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all, and in the process, make America proud again.