Post submitted by Hayley Miller, former HRC Associate Director of Digital and Social

Earlier this week, HRC received updates from the Russian LGBT Network about the current situation in Chechnya. According to numerous media outlets and human rights organizations across the globe, authorities in the Russian republic of Chechnya have been rounding up dozens of men on the suspicion of being gay. They have been humiliated, tortured, placed in detention and killed.

Here are the newest updates:

• New detentions of gay and bisexual men in Chechnya have stopped, but people already in detention have not been released.
• The Chechen government has encouraged families of gay and bisexual men to kill them, or the government will do it for them.
• There has been a surge in lesbian women sharing stories about humiliation, abuse and threats they've faced from male relatives or from friends. There are also reports that the wives of some of the detainees are frightened that they will be targeted as well.
• Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his support for an investigation, though it remains to be seen if that will have any credibility. This came not long after German Chancellor Angela Merkel pressed President Putin on the issue.

From working with the U.S. administration and Congress to activating our membership and raising up our voices together, HRC has sent a clear message that we have our #EyesOnChechnya and that the human rights violations must stop. The #EyesOnChechnya campaign is a partnership of HRC and Human Rights First.

Today, HRC, Human Rights First and Amnesty International USA will rally in front of the Russian ambassador's residence in Washington, D.C.  We will be amping up pressure on Russian leaders to stop the ongoing atrocities against LGBTQ people in Chechnya, and bring perpetrators to justice.

Click here to find out what you can to stop these atrocities.