Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach for facilitating this conversation and the Minister of State for engaging with the issue. There is no doubt that the Seanad has been to the fore in prioritising LGBT rights this term, from introducing legislation dealing with an apology to and exoneration of men criminalised in the State before 1993 to a Bill dealing with pensions and my upcoming Bill dealing with transgender rights so that young people can have their true gender recognised. That Bill will be debated in the House on 10 May. All these initiatives are part of an important process that aims to make Ireland not only a model republic but a beacon of hope for oppressed people and LGBTQI people everywhere. It is in that spirit that I hope Ireland does what we can and I expect Ireland to do what we can to support LGBTQI people, in particular, gay men, in Chechnya.

I am sure the Minister of State is aware of the reports from human rights groups in Chechnya that more than 100 men suspected by Chechen forces of being gay have been interned in specifically designed internment camps. The reports go further to say that three men have been killed and that, so far, men currently detained are being tortured with electric currents and heavily beaten, sometimes to death. When asked for a reaction to the allegations, a spokesperson for the Chechen President denied the claims and suggested that there are no gay people in the region. He stated:

You cannot arrest or repress people who just don't exist in the republic. If such people existed in Chechnya, law enforcement would not have to worry about them since their own relatives would have sent them to where they could never return.

Chechnya is largely isolated and this situation remains shrouded, with a lack of confirmation on the exact situation regarding the internment camps. I do not think I could point to a more worrying situation than the Administration itself has done. It is clear that the Chechen President feels that Chechnya needs to be cleansed of gay citizens and his delusional denial of the existence of gay men does not invoke any degree of confidence in his rejections of claims that these internment camps exist.

I have a couple of questions which I hope the Minister of State will be able to answer or take to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. Is the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade aware of the situation? Has the Department spoken to the Russian ambassador? Will the Department continue to monitor and investigate these reports? Will the Minister urgently contact his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, to ascertain the situation in Chechnya? Will the Minister make contact with his European counterparts also?

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for raising the issue and apologise that the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, is not able to attend.

In our international relations, Ireland supports the promotion and protection of the human rights of all persons, irrespective of their sexual orientation and gender identity. Ireland believes that consensual same-sex relationships between adults should not be criminalised and supports measures to ensure that the right to freedom of expression and association can be enjoyed effectively by all people. Ireland co-sponsored an historic resolution on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity, which was adopted at the UN human rights council in 2011. This was the first time a UN resolution explicitly acknowledged human rights protection as covering sexual orientation and demonstrates the increasing commitment across the broader international community to the promotion and protection of the human rights of all persons, irrespective of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

The ongoing deterioration in the protection of human rights in civil society space in Russia is deeply troubling. Ireland has consistently advocated for increased EU support for civil society in Russia, which continues to be very vulnerable.International human rights organisations and the Governments of developed democracies around the world, including Ireland’s, condemned a law introduced in Russia in 2013 which discriminated against members of the LGBT community. The United Nations and regional institutions, of which Russia is a member, made clear that the Russian law in question, as well as other infringements of LGBT rights in the country, are a direct violation of international human rights law and of Russia's international obligations.

I am aware of alarming reports by international human rights organisations and by the media of the abduction of over 100 men in recent days in the Chechen Republic on the basis of their sexual orientation, as part of a co-ordinated campaign. Reports also indicate that those abducted were subjected to torture and ill-treatment, as well as forced to disclose the identities of other LGBT individuals they know. According to these reports, at least three men have also died as a result of these actions.

lf confirmed, these reports would amount to serious violations of basic human rights that are sadly a further addition to the long list of human rights abuses in Chechnya. The reaction of Chechen authorities to these allegations, seeking to justify violence against members of the LGBT community, is unacceptable and deeply disturbing. I note a statement on behalf of the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, last week that law enforcement authorities would look into these reports. The Minister is calling on the Russian Government to urgently undertake a thorough investigation into the reports of the abduction and killing of gay men in Chechnya, to reject the cynical statement of local Chechen officials justifying violence against and the murder of gay men and to make it clear that it does not condone such statements. It is also incumbent on the Russian Government to take the necessary steps to protect those fleeing persecution in Chechnya, as well as those civil society activists who are offering assistance to them.

As to Senator’s question as to whether the Minister has raised this with the Russian ambassador, it is my understanding that it has not been raised directly yet. The reports of this have only emerged over recent days and the Minister is still in the process of receiving information on the extent and the nature of the actions. Once further information is brought to his attention, he will decide what action to take.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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The Senator can ask a brief supplementary question. I believe he got a comprehensive response.

Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein)
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Yes, I agree. I welcome the acknowledgement that this amounts to serious violations of basic human rights. I believe it amounts to crimes against humanity.

There is an informal meeting of EU foreign affairs Ministers in Malta on 28 April. Before that time, I, along with the LGBT community and its allies would appreciate it if the Russian embassy could be contacted about this matter and then if the Minister could raise it in Malta.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I am sure the Minister will do that.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Government shares the Senator’s grave concerns on this issue. The Minister will continue to monitor the situation through the Irish embassy in Moscow and join with international partners to ensure a full and thorough investigation takes place into these actions.