Media Release
Friday June 15th
ADVOCATES WELCOME SENATE CHECHNYA MOTION / CALL FOR STRONGER GOV'T ACTION
Equality advocates have applauded the Senate for supporting a motion calling for stronger international action against the persecution of LGBTI people in the Russian republic of Chechnya.
The motion, put forward by Liberal Senator, Dean Smith, and Labor Senator, Penny Wong, welcomed the Australian Government's repeated expressions of concern to the Kremlin about the persecution in Chechnya.
It also backed the UN's Free and Equal campaign, urged the Australian Government to update its travel advice for Russia and called for more international action on the Chechen situation.
It follows a similar motion put forward by Greens' Senator, Janet Rice, last month.
Just.equal spokesperson, Rodney Croome, welcomed the motion.
"We thank senators Smith, Wong and Rice for their motions, and the Senate for supporting the latest motion."
"Just.equal has been calling for stronger action by the Australian Government since news reports began emerging of the anti-LGBTI persecution in Chechnya."
"We are exited the Senate has joined our call but more needs to be done, including a declaration by the Australian Government that it will accept LGBTI refugees from Chechnya similar to a recent declaration by the German Government."
"We would also like to see the Prime Minister make a public statement condemning the actions of the Chechen authorities and calling on the Russian Government to step in and stop the persecution."
Mr Croome urged supporters of equal rights for LGBTI people to sign
a petition calling on Malcolm Turnbull to make a public statement and accept LGBTI refugees from Chechnya.
The petition can be found here: https://go.allout.org/en/a/turnbull-chechnya/
A copy of the successful motion is below. A copy of this media release on the web can be found
here.
For more information contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668
Senator Smith, also on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate (Senator Wong), pursuant to notice of motion not objected to as a formal motion, moved general business notice of motion no. 347—That the Senate—
(a) notes the concern expressed by the Australian Government at reports of mass arrests and torture of individuals in the Republic of Chechnya in the Russian Federation due to their perceived or actual sexual orientation;
(b) welcomes that these concerns have been raised by the Australian Government on six separate occasions directly with the Russian Government;
(c) calls on the Government to:
(i) work with other nations to highlight the deplorable treatment of LGBTI persons in Chechnya through the United Nations (UN) and other international human rights forums,
(ii) publicly back the UN’s Free and Equal Campaign, a global public education campaign which raises awareness of homophobic and transphobic violence and discrimination, and promotes greater respect for the rights of LGBTI people globally, and
(iii) raise awareness of Smart Traveller advice on Chechnya and the Russian Federation in light of these reports; and
(d) notes that Australia has joined with Albania, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America and Uruguay in endorsing the Equal Rights Coalition Statement of 26 April 2017 which states:
The undersigned Equal Rights Coalition members urgently call on Russian federal authorities to conduct an independent and credible investigation into reports of arbitrary detention, torture and killing of gay men by security services and other government authorities in the Republic of Chechnya. If these reports prove credible, we call on the Russian government to take steps to ensure the release of anyone wrongfully detained and hold accountable anyone found responsible. These steps are in-line with international human rights obligations and commitments made by the Russian government to respect the human rights of all individuals.
Statement by leave : Senator Rice, by leave, made a statement relating to the motion.
Question put and passed.
