Andrei Kotov, director of a travel agency catering to gay customers in Russia, died by suicide in pretrial detention. Kotov was facing charges of organizing extremist activity and had previously alleged police brutality during his arrest.
A Russia n man arrested and accused of running a travel agency for gay customers was found dead in custody in Moscow, rights group OVD-Info reported Sunday, amid a crackdown on LGBTQ rights in Russia . According to OVD-Info, which tracks political arrests, Andrei Kotov — director of the Men Travel agency — faced charges of “organizing extremist activity and participating in it.
” OVD-Info said an investigator told Kotov’s lawyer that her client had died by suicide early Sunday while in pretrial detention and was found dead in his cell. Prior to Kotov’s death, independent media outlet Mediazona reported earlier this month that Kotov had rejected the charges and said in court that law enforcement officers beat him and administered electric shocks during the arrest, even though he didn’t resist. Just over a year ago, Russia’s Supreme Court effectively outlawed any LGBTQ activism in a ruling that designated “the international LGBT movement” as extremist. The move exposed anyone in the community or connected to it to criminal prosecution and prison, ushering in an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. The LGBTQ community in Russia has been under legal and public pressure for over a decade but especially since the Kremlin sent troops to Ukraine in 2022. Russian leader Vladimir Putin has argued that the war is a proxy battle with the West, which he says aims to destroy Russia and its “traditional family values” by pushing for LGBTQ rights
LGBTQ Rights Russia Death In Custody Crackdown Vladimir Putin
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Russian Man Arrested for Running Travel Agency for Gay Customers Found Dead in CustodyA Russian man accused of running a travel agency for gay clients was found dead in custody in Moscow, according to rights group OVD-Info. Andrei Kotov, the director of the “Men Travel” agency, faced charges of “organizing extremist activity and participating in it.” OVD-Info reported that an investigator informed Kotov's lawyer that he died by suicide in his cell while awaiting trial.
Read more »
Russian Gay Travel Agency Owner Found Dead in CustodyA Russian man arrested for running a travel agency for gay customers was found dead in custody in Moscow. Human rights groups say Andrei Kotov died by suicide while facing charges related to extremism.
Read more »
Russian LGBTQ+ Activist Found Dead in CustodyAndrei Kotov, director of a travel agency for gay customers, was found dead in a Moscow jail, according to OVD-Info.
Read more »
Sunday expected to be busiest travel day after record-breaking Thanksgiving travel periodAva Kershner is a Multimedia Journalist and Producer at ABC 10News.
Read more »
Russian authorities arrest dual Russian German citizen on sabotage accusationsRussia’s top domestic security agency says it has arrested a dual Russian German citizen accused of planning to blow up railway tracks on orders from Ukrainian intelligence
Read more »
Russian authorities arrest dual Russian German citizen on sabotage accusationsRussia’s top domestic security agency says it has arrested a dual Russian German citizen accused of planning to blow up railway tracks on orders from Ukrainian intelligence. The Federal Security Service said Tuesday that the man was arrested in Nizhny Novgorod and an improvised explosive device was seized from him. It didn’t identify the suspect.
Read more »