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TO CHECHNYA WITH LOVE is a grassroots benefit compilation project born out of Manchester’s DIY music scene but stretching far beyond, with the aim of supporting persecuted LGBT+ people fleeing violence, torture and murder in Chechnya, Russia.

 

In April 2017 Elena Milashina and Irina Gordienko of the Novaya Gazeta reported that a wave of anti-LGBT violence had begun to sweep through the deeply conservative Russian province of Chechnya, directed and encouraged by local government and including mass arrests, detainment in secret prisons, torture and murder. Hundreds have been detained and at least twenty six people have been killed, though it is extremely likely that extrajudicial 'honour' killings, encouraged by the state, have resulted in further unrecorded deaths.

 

AMPS FOR EQUALITY are seeking fellow bands and musicians to contribute tracks (ideally rare / unreleased / b-sides / live) to this compilation to support the Russian LGBT Network, which is working on the ground to support and evacuate victims of persecution.

If you would like to get involved please email us here.


References:

https://www.novayagazeta.ru/articles/2017/04/01/71983-ubiystvo-chesti

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/stop-abducting-and-killing-gay-men-chechnya

http://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/35665/1/meet-the-journalist-that-exposed-chechnyas-anti-gay-purge

http://attitude.co.uk/chechen-authorities-summoning-parents-to-prison-camps-to-kill-their-gay-sons/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/02/chechen-police-rounded-up-100-gay-men-report-russian-newspaper-chechnya

https://news.vice.com/story/we-spoke-with-a-gay-man-who-was-detained-and-tortured-in-chechnya