Publications

Russian authorities foster homophobia and transphobia in Russia, and they create a climate of impunity for violence and discrimination targeting individuals based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. They deny that LGBTI persons in the North Caucasus region are subjected to abductions, extrajudicial killings, and torture, signaling to local authorities and private actors that they will not be held accountable. Homophobic and transphobic government rhetoric has coincided with escalating hate speech targeting the LGBTI community, discouraging targets of such hate speech from turning to law enforcement for remedies. Despite some legal protections against discrimination, LGBTI individuals experience violence and discrimination in a wide variety of spheres, including employment, housing, health care, education, and family rights. So-called "conversion therapy" is offered in many regions and goes largely unregulated. Authorities have used laws prohibiting promotion of non-traditional sexual relations to minors to stifle free expression and to encourage vigilante harassment of alleged offenders and vigilante reporting of alleged violators of those laws. Efforts are underway to strip same-sex couples of parental rights and to eliminate legal recognition of transgender persons.