Investigating inconsistently

The Investigative Committee began checking the facts of gay persecution in Chechnya published in Novaya Gazeta. This was announced on her page by the journalist of the publication Elena Milashina.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Human Rights Tatyana Moskalkova said that the data of Novaya Gazeta to the present moment was not found confirmation, TASS reports . "I received all the answers to my requests from the Prosecutor General’s Office, from the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the prosecutor's office of the republic. They reported that there were no cases of the loss of people, appeals to them. The temporary content in which they examined every corner and did not find confirmation of the situation that is described in the Novaya Gazeta, ”Moskalkova said.

"My further check is complicated by the fact that I am not unknown to names, surnames, specific facts of violence against people. I asked for a correspondent who works in Novaya Gazeta, to transmit such data to me as much as possible. Today there is no these data," the Ombudsman said.

On April 1 and 5, two articles by Milashina about the brutal persecution of gays in Chechnya were published in Novaya. The journalist wrote about mass detentions, torture and murders of homosexuals. Then, several media outlets appeared evidence of the victims of persecution from Chechnya.

After that, Adam Shakhidov, adviser to Ramzan Kadyrov on religious issues, accused the journalists of slander. The meeting adopted a resolution calling for "retaliation" "instigators". The performances of Shahidov and other theologians were broadcast on Chechen television and widely dispersed in social networks. In "New" they regarded statements made in Chechnya as a direct call for reprisal against journalists . Milashina told The Washington Post that she left Moscow in a safe place and intends to work abroad for some time. She emphasized that all the employees of Novaya Gazeta are in danger.

On April 14, the Mufti of Chechnya Salah Mezhiev said that the authors of publications on the persecution of homosexuals would suffer "Allah's Retribution." In turn, Shakhidov said that the journalists of Novaya Gazeta will have to “ask for forgiveness on their knees” if they could not prove the fact of the persecution of homosexuals in the region. The head of the Chechen Minnationality, Dzhambulat Umarov, in appeal to the chief editor of the "new" Dmitry Muratov demanded an apology for publications .

On Monday, Kadyrov said that a " massive information attack " is being conducted on Chechnya. “The most unworthy methods and forms are used, reality is distorted, attempts are made to denigrate our society, way of life, traditions and customs,” Kadyrov wrote. “People without shame and conscience will always speak the language of lies and slander.” On the same day, Minister Umarov again demanded from journalists an apology to the Chechen people. He called the reaction to the publication of the "new" "normal Caucasian rhetoric."

As stated by the press secretary of Vladimir Putin Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin received Muratov’s appeal about threats to journalists. There are legal methods to challenge slanderous publications, an official noted in this regard. "Illegal methods of influence" on journalists, he assured, in the Kremlin is not approved.

On Friday, the editor -in -chief of Echo of Moscow Alexei Venediktov sharply criticized the inaction of the Prosecutor General, the TFR and the law enforcement agencies. “While your centers” are chasing adolescents with sneakers, the impudent, uncontrolled, enemy state that dares to threaten Russian citizens, ”Venediktov, has grown up, or it has already grown so much that you are even afraid to start an investigation? Or homeless ISIS, and you can only continue to observe the way they are helplessly how they are helpless threaten and kill? " The next day, the "echo of Moscow" itself received threats from Chechnya itself

On Monday, more than 60 cultural figures supported the Novaya Gazeta and Echo of Moscow. They demanded from law enforcement agencies urgently "give a legal assessment" of threats that sounded from Chechnya. "The lack of proper reaction from law enforcement agencies and the country's leadership entailed the next threats - this time to the journalists of the Radio" Echo of Moscow ", who entered into their colleagues from the" Novaya Gazeta "," the appeal says. It was signed by Vladimir Sorokin, Svetlana Aleksievich, Lyudmila Ulitskaya, Vladimir Voinovich and many others.

On Monday, the press service of the Investigative Committee said that the department was checking information about threats to journalists of Novaya Gazeta and Echo of Moscow. At the same time, the press service noted that in the Investigative Committee of the Chechnya, "no appeals about the persecution of persons of non-traditional sexual orientation were received."