Security forces in Karachay-Cherkessia are detaining members of a gay dating group en masse.

At least 16 men have been detained in Karachay-Cherkessia on suspicion of involvement in an extremist organization for subscribing to a gay dating group. At least one of the detainees was beaten by security forces.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," in July 2024, human rights activists reported that security forces in Dagestan, following the arrest of porn actor Matvey Volodin, launched a campaign against gay men and organized raids against them. One of the detainees, Yusuf, left Russia after being forced to cooperate with security forces. In the summer of 2025, it became known that the practice of raids had spread to North Ossetia: for example, people posing as police officers lured a Vladikavkaz resident onto a date with a young man, after which they coerced him into collaborating, demanding that he give them information about other gay men.

At least 16 residents of Karachay-Cherkessia who were members of a local queer dating group on VKontakte were detained by security forces, the Crisis Group Investigative Committee SOS* reported on April 30, citing a source.

The group in question remained one of the few unblocked LGBT** communities in the republic. According to human rights activists, the detentions began on the morning of April 27. All of those detained were men, mostly young, under 40.

Security officials visited one of the group's active members on the morning of April 27. They searched his home, forced him to unlock his phone, and reviewed messages in the group. He was then taken to a law enforcement agency, where he met about 15 other people who had been detained in a similar manner.

According to a source, security officials took the detainees to different rooms and interrogated them. "One guy was uncooperative, they handcuffed him, brought him into an office for questioning, and screams, as if from being beaten, were heard from inside. He emerged from the office covered in bruises and blood," the Investigative Committee's SOS* Telegram channel quotes the source as saying.

The chp_kchr Telegram channel, affiliated with security officials, also reported the detentions of "supporters of LGBT ideology**" on the afternoon of April 30. According to security forces, the 16 detained residents of the republic were "engaged in non-traditional practices" as part of an "extremist cell" that acted "contrary to traditional family values."

"A criminal case has been opened against the organizer under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Russian Criminal Code (organizing the activities of an extremist organization); he now faces imprisonment for a term of six to ten years," the publication states. It does not provide any information about the identity of the alleged "organizer."

"Caucasian Knot" also reported that in December 2025, the Cherkessk City Court delivered a guilty verdict in a case of LGBT propaganda**, sentencing a local resident to 2.5 years in prison.

A gay man from Chechnya who fled the country spoke to the "Caucasian Knot" about how people of non-traditional sexual orientation live in Chechnya, and what happened to some of them after the mass roundups began. "If They Kill You, If Not Yours, Then Strangers": A Gay Man on Life in Chechnya and Fleeing Russia.

* are included in the Russian register of foreign agents.

**  The LGBT movement is recognized as an extremist organization in the Russian Federation.

*** Meta (owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) is banned in Russia.