Joe.My.God. LGBT News
The Associated Press reports:
A Russian man arrested and accused of running a travel agency for gay customers was found dead in custody in Moscow, rights group OVD-Info reported Sunday, amid a crackdown on LGBTQ rights in Russia. According to OVD-Info, which tracks political arrests, Andrei Kotov — director of the “Men Travel” agency — faced charges of “organizing extremist activity and participating in it.”
OVD-Info said an investigator told Kotov’s lawyer that her client had died by suicide early Sunday while in pretrial detention and was found dead in his cell. Prior to Kotov’s death, independent media outlet Mediazona reported earlier this month that Kotov had rejected the charges and said in court that law enforcement officers beat him and administered electric shocks during the arrest, even though he didn’t resist.
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Andrey Kotov, the director of the travel agency «Men Travel», which organized trips for gay tourists, was found dead in a Moscow detention center. Kotov had been accused of participating in an «LGBT extremist organization».
The investigator claims the man committed suicide. pic.twitter.com/FFHND7Zfi9
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) December 29, 2024
Russian tour guide, Andrey Kotov, accused of organising LGBT tours and charged with extremism has died in prison. Police claim suicide as the cause. Russia’s attacks on LGBT people extends beyond Russia. Their embassies promote anti LGBT sentiments in other countries too. pic.twitter.com/ClVwW4qDun
— Yes, We Exist 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈 (@YesWeExistIndia) December 30, 2024
As the crackdown on LGBTQ rights in Russia continues, Andrei Kotov, director of the “Men Travel” agency, who was arrested a month ago and accused of running a travel agency for gay customers, was found dead in custody in Moscow, @ovdinfo_en confirmed.
Photo: Mediazona pic.twitter.com/UZD4yGsTpk
— Mediazona (@mediazona_en) December 29, 2024