Amin Dzhabrailov, a resident of Grozny, became the first ethnic Chechen to publicly speak out about the torture and persecution of gay men in Chechnya. Prior to him, only Maxim Lapunov from Omsk, Russia, had openly discussed these issues.

Amin was detained in March 2017 and taken to a secret prison in Tsotsi-Yurt, a village in Chechnya known for its clandestine detention facilities. There, he endured daily humiliation, death threats, beatings, and electrocution as authorities pressured him to name other members of the LGBTQ+ community. He spent two weeks in detention before being handed over to his relatives.

Fearing for his safety, Amin left Grozny and moved to Moscow. To avoid encountering people he knew from Chechnya, he eventually traveled to St. Petersburg and then flew to Canada.

We assisted in Amin’s evacuation and ensured his safety. He is safe now.