Gay Chechen Singer Killed on Order of Strongman Ramzan Kadyrov: Report

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov ordered the torture and murder of a popular Chechen singer because the Putin ally was personally insulted to have unknowingly shaken hands with the gay man, according to a new report.

Zelimkhan Bakaev went missing within hours after returning to Chechnya for his sister’s wedding in 2017. The popular singer had fled to Moscow due to the gay purge taking place in his home region. The new report from SK SOS said Kadyrov was aghast a photo existed of the two men shaking hands. SK SOS reports he ordered security forces to “deal with” Bakaev, who was tortured during much of the 13 hours he was in custody before he was executed.

The report also said Bakaev’s body was returned to his family with the order to “bury him like a dog.”

Months after Bakaev went missing, Kadyrov gave a speech to service members accusing Bakaev’s family of killing him because they learned he was gay.

“They told him, ‘Come over,’ and when he arrived, apparently his cousins or second cousins confronted him and said, ‘You’re gay,’” Kadyrov claimed in the 2018 speech.

Despite the denial of involvement, the speech was the first official admission that Bakaev was dead.

The torture and execution of Bakaev took place during a notorious purge of gay and bisexual men in the semi-autonomous Russian region, where scores were arrested and sent to camps where they were tortured and often killed.

During this same period, Kadyrov denied gay people existed in the country. During an interview with HBO’s Real Sports in 2017, he took offense at questions from reporter David Scott on his nation's imprisonment and killing of gay and bisexual men.

“We don’t have those kinds of people here,” Kadyrov responded after scolding Scott for asking the question. “If there are there take them to Canada... Take them far from us so we don’t have them at home... To purify our blood, if there are any here, take them.”