Armenia refuses to extradite gay Chechen man wanted by Russia

In the heart of Yerevan, Armenia, a significant legal decision unfolded on January 30. A request from Russia for the extradition of a man who escaped Chechnya’s grip, after enduring torture for being suspected of homosexuality, was firmly denied by the court, a move hailed by an LGBTQ+ rights organization. Salman Mukaev found himself in the clutches of Chechnya’s security forces back in 2020. His ordeal included grueling interrogations and acts of torture, detailed by SK SOS, an entity dedicated to aiding LGBTQ+ individuals in the North Caucasus region of Russia. The torment he faced forced him into confessing a romantic involvement with a male friend. Moreover, he was coerced into a scheme to entrap gay men by drawing them into meetings through online platforms, only to betray them to the authorities.