The Human Rights campaign called on Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to investigate anti-LGBTQ persecution in a massive projection on Helsinki's presidential palace on Sunday night, ahead of the summit between the U.S. and Russian leaders.
Wrote HRC: “For more than 15 months, Donald Trump and his administration have refused to publicly condemn the systematic torture, abuse, and murder of LGBTQ people occurring in Chechnya as Vladimir Putin has licensed the violence to continue. More than a 100 LGBTQ people have been rounded up, tortured, and abused — and as many as 20 have been murdered. HRC's message was projected onto the side of the Presidential Palace where the delegations and press corps are gathering for Monday's summit.”
Earlier on Sunday, HRC Global Director Ty Cobb called out the leaders at a rally in Helsinki, attacking Trump's domestic policies as well.
Said Cobb: “Trump has unconscionably turned a blind eye to some of the worst anti-LGBTQ atrocities in a generation, including monstrous attacks on gay and bisexual men in Chechnya. HRC is here in Helsinki to demand Donald Trump end his deafening silence, publicly condemn these Chechen crimes against humanity, and call on Putin to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
Ahead of the Trump-Putin Summit, @HRC's Global Director @TyWesleyCobb spoke at the #HelsinkiCalling rally in Finland to call out @realDonaldTrump's deafening silence on the ongoing anti-LGBTQ crimes against humanity occurring in the Russian republic of Chechnya. #EyesOnChechnya pic.twitter.com/f5BCavJHKp
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) July 15, 2018
