Russian activist and lesbian Yelena Grigoryeva was murdered on July 21 this year near her home in the Russian city of St. Petersburg. She was killed by being strangled to death and then her body was stabbed with a knife.
The way she was killed shows male’s hatred towards women and lesbians. The way she was killed shows how the state of Russia treats its citizens who do not live heterosexual lives. The way she was killed shows the extent of persecution of women and lesbians in a society of male dominance.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the murder of human rights activist Natalia Estemirova, 13th anniversary of the murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya and two years have passed since the systemically organized persecution and killing of homosexuals in the Russian Republic of Chechnya. Today’s victim is an activist who did not fight for the rights of LGBT+ persons only; she was also protesting against the Russian occupation of Crimea, against the torture of political prisoners in the Russian Republic of Ingushetia.
The common denominators for all these killings are the following:
These killings were organized by the regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
None of the perpetrators of these killings has been punished to this day.
Hunting season is open on people who think differently from the ruling regime
We demand the following from the competent institutions of the State of Russia:
To urgently find and punish the perpetrators of this murder.
To stop the implementation of the law passed in 2013 which prohibits the so-called ‘homosexual propaganda’.
To allow the free and unimpeded activity of all who act to protect human rights of those who are different.
- Women in Black
- Da se zna
- Autonomous Women’s Centre
- Labris – organisation for lesbian human rights
- Geten
- Reconstruction Women’s Fund
- Youth Initiative for Human Rights
Photo: Anton Vaganov/Reuters
