Magomed Askhabov

Magomed faced sexual violence, blackmail, and extortion in Dagestan, one of the republics in the Russian North Caucasus, due to his queer identity. He relocated to St. Petersburg, but in January 2021, he agreed to help a relative move belongings back to Dagestan. Upon arriving in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, and getting into a car with his relatives, he was kidnapped and taken to the “Start” rehabilitation center, where his family sought to “cure” him of his homosexuality.

At the center, patients were subjected to severe abuse: they were hung by handcuffs, starved, and forced to carry heavy objects. For “misbehaving,” they were made to write the same text over and over again: “I am a careless weed; if I handle responsibility recklessly, I will die like a hunched dog by a piss-soaked fence between my pothead sister’s hips.”

After seven months, Magomed was taken back by his family. Despite their close surveillance, he managed to escape. He filed a complaint against the “Start” rehabilitation center, but the case has not been investigated, and the center continues to expand: the clinic has opened a “women’s” department.

We assisted Magomed with his evacuation and ensured his safety, and we continue to provide him with legal support.