About the project
North Caucasus SOS (NC SOS) was founded in 2017 by human rights activists in response to mass arbitrary detentions and executions of LGBTQ+ people in the Chechen Republic of Russia. Prior to 2022, the project was part of the Russian LGBT Network.
NC SOS helps LGBTQ+ individuals escape from the republics of the North Caucasus, where they face discrimination, violence, and life-threatening danger. We provide safe housing, legal, financial, medical, and psychological assistance.
In addition to direct beneficiary support, NC SOS conducts documentation and monitoring, engages in litigation and advocacy, and raises awareness of ongoing human rights violations in the region. Our goal is to foster accountability for SOGIE-based torture and inhumane treatment in the North Caucasus.
In 2023, Russia designated NC SOS a “foreign agent.”