Maxim Lapunov

Maxim was the first person to speak openly about the anti-gay purge in Chechnya. It was through Maxim’s testimony that the world learned about the critical situation regarding the rights of LGBTQ+ people in Chechnya.

Maxim was born in Omsk Oblast. In 2015, he moved to Chechnya to work as an event host. In the summer of 2017, in the very centre of Grozny, Maxim was abducted by men in civilian clothes and placed in an unofficial prison for gays. Police officers beat him, trying to get information about other gay men in Chechnya. They forced Maxim to leave his fingerprints on weapons so that they would have a means of pressure on him.

After 12 days, Maxim was released. He was forced to record a video in which he confessed his homosexuality. He was told he would be killed if he ever told anyone about what had happened.


Maxim fled Russia with the help of NC SOS. However, despite the risks, he then returned to the country in October of 2017 to file a statement with the Investigative Committee of Russia and hold a press conference in Moscow, during which he publicly recounted his experience of the anti-gay purges in Chechnya. Maxim’s request to bring a criminal case was rejected by the Moscow court. The Investigative Committee refused to initiate a criminal case after conducting a preliminary investigation.

After the case, Maxim left Russia again. He filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights. In 2023, the ECHR ruled that Maxim Lapunov had been subjected to illegal detention and torture due to his sexual orientation, and that Russia had refused to conduct an objective investigation. Lapunov was awarded moral damage compensation of 52,000 euros. However, as the Russian Federation has withdrawn from the jurisdiction of the ECHR, the court’s decision will have no effect in Russia.

Maxim’s story is told in the HBO film Welcome to Chechnya.

We were involved in Maksim’s evacuation and ensuring his safety, and we continue to provide him with legal support.