Chechnya jails queer siblings on ‘fabricated’ charges after years of persecution and torture

A court in Chechnya has sentenced a pair of LGBT+ siblings to almost a decade’s detainment on seemingly bogus charges.

On Tuesday (22 February), the Achkhoy-Martan district court of the southern Russian republic convicted siblings Salekh Magamadov, 21, and Ismail Isayev, 19, for “complicity with illegal armed formations by providing products”.

Magamadov received an eight year sentence (one in prison and seven in a strict-regime colony) and Isayev was sentenced to six years in a common-regime colony, Crisis Group NC SOS confirmed Tuesday (22 February).

Chechen investigators allege that the siblings smuggled “groceries” to alleged militant Rustam Borchashvili.

The siblings pleaded not guilty, and, according to Crisis Group NC SOS, believe the case against them was fabricated because of their sexual orientation and political views. One is gay, the other trans, according to Amnesty.