Russian singer Zelimkhan Bakaev became one of the victims of the persecution of homosexuals in Chechnya. According to the international press, the artist had been missing since August, when he was allegedly captured by Chechen authorities on suspicion of being homosexual. Despite not being an open homosexual, Bakaev, 26, was last seen in the capital of Chechnya. After suspecting his sexual orientation, the artist was tortured to death, according to information from Russian activist for LGBT rights in the country, Igor Kochetkov. “He arrived in Grozny and was caught by the police within three hours. Within ten hours he was murdered”, said the founder of the LGBT Network. In a statement, Chechen authorities denied the accusations and said only that Zelimkhan had left the country. According to information from a Russian broadcaster, Bakaev called family members in September, stating that he was fine living in another country. Since April, the government of Chechnya, one of Russia's federations, has been accused of persecuting and torturing men suspected of being homosexual. Both the Chechen government and Russian President Vladimir Putin deny the accusations. Among developed countries, Russia is one of the most strict countries regarding the rights of LGBT people.
