Gay and terrified in Chechnya
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/gay-and-terrified-in-chechnya/2017/04/09/b128822e-18a1-11e7-855e-4824bbb5d748_story.html
RAMZAN KADYROV is unlike any other provincial leader in Russia. He rules the republic of Chechnya with brute force and enjoys the indulgence of President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin. Mr. Kadyrov keeps order in Chechnya, and Mr. Putin keeps out of his way. Now this deal has apparently led to barbaric treatment of gay men in the traditionally conservative Muslim society.
The crusading newspaper Novaya Gazeta published a startling article April 1 that reported Mr.?Kadyrov’s armed thugs were detaining and executing gay men, with more than 100 men already seized, three of them known to be dead and many others possibly murdered in extrajudicial “honor” killings. A respected human rights expert, Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, Russia project coordinator for the International Crisis Group, told the New York Times and the Guardian that she had been receiving similar reports.
...
Mr. Putin either is fearful of Mr. Kadyrov or appreciates his approach, but either way, the result is to allow this violent ruffian to act with impunity ...
...
Emphasis added. I'm betting on "appreciates his approach". Putin may be fearful about some things, but not this.
There are important (and nasty) political reasons why it is expedient for Chechnya to be supposedly autonomous within the Russian Federation, but that isn't about gays.
I'm guessing this is a trial balloon. If the world sits still for it in Chechnya, all of Russia will not be far behind.
= new reply since forum marked as read
