Our nation was shocked when news broke in February that the Chechnya government was gathering people to be perceived gay and bisexual, and torturing them in detention centers in the capital, Grozny, and nearby Argun. While government officials in Chechnya continue to deny that persecution based on sexual orientation has occurred, the Canadian government has decided to take action.
According to the New York Times, “The Canadian government, working with a Toronto-based nonprofit (Rainbow Railroad), has quietly allowed gay men and lesbians from the Russian Republic of Chechnya to seek safety in Canada over the past three months.”
Rainbow Railroad made the program public this past Friday. With the help of the Russian LGBT network, they started bringing a handful of refugees to the country, this past June. Through their mission, they hope to save LGBT communities across the world from violence and persecution, their main focus right now being the people in Chechnya.
According to the nonprofit's website the program “has already negotiated safe travel for 35 individuals with a commitment to supporting everyone of them.” Nine are expected to arrive in the week ahead, according to The Times.
Canada has set themselves apart from other countries, being the first ones to provide aid to the LGBT community in Chechnya. Tanya Lokshina, program director for Russia's Human Rights Watch, described the impact that the country is making for those wanting to escape.
“Canada appears to be the only country that has done this on such a massive scale. It's certainly exceptional,” Lokshina told The Times. “Canada clearly has done the right thing here. Every extra day they stay in this country is an extra day of dire risk.”
What's unique about Canada's support is how silent they've been about doing it. However, most relate that to individuals facing high risks from getting involved in the crisis in the past, such as Canada's prime minister Chrystia Freeland who was barred from the country after reporting on the terrorism in 2014.
Canada is setting the standard to how the rest of the world should be addressing homophobia. Although the purge ended back in April, Lokshina has made it apparent that the war is far from over in their country.
“These days, people are on the lookout for gays.”
