Dozens of gay men believed to have been executed in Chechnya

AS many as 56 gay men are believed to have been executed in a massacre by Chechen authorities, as reports of gay concentration camps in the region continue.

Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta has published the names of 27 men believed to have been killed, according to Attitude.

Citing unidentified sources, the newspaper claims the men were killed in a mass execution in January after being held without charge for several weeks.

Novaya Gazeta reported that victims’ bodies were hastily buried in various cemeteries. The youngest victims were aged just 18.

The newspaper said it made the decision to publish the names of those believed dead because the Russian government has failed to investigate the claims of an anti-gay purge in Chechnya.

It has passed the names of the alleged victims along with the rest of its findings to the Russian Investigative Committee, and called for a criminal investigation.

The mass detention of gay and bisexual men in Chechnya allegedly began late last year. Survivors have reported being detained in makeshift prisons and being tortured by authorities.

Chechnya has continued to deny the claims, with President Ramzan Kadyrov even claiming there are no gay men in the region.

Update: According to the Russian LGBT Network and All Out, there is so far only evidence of six gay men executed as part of an anti-gay purge, as reported by Gay Star News.