Rights defenders publicize Taramova's story about "expulsion of jinns"

Relatives of Khalimat Taramova, a resident of Chechnya, tried to change her sexual orientation by the ritual of "expulsion of jinns"; after the visit of exorcist, the family started having problems with law enforcers, the "Russian LGBT Network"* has informed.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in June, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) decided not to take urgent measures in connection with the detention of Khalimat Taramova, who, according to human rights defenders, was forcibly taken to Chechnya from a shelter for victims of domestic violence located in Makhachkala.

Taramova's escape from Chechnya to the shelter in Dagestan was preceded not only by beatings due to her sexual orientation, but also by the ritual of "expulsion of jinns," according to the video "The Story of Khalimat Taramova" posted on the YouTube by the "Russian LGBT Network"*. "My relatives thought: we need to expel all the jinns from her, she's not okay; in general, it cannot be that a gay person is just some kind of a jinn," Taramova herself said in her address to human rights defenders on May 28.

According to her story, a certain specialist was engaged in the "expulsion" of jinns. Taramova quoted the threats she had received from that man. "We are liquidating people like you. You are already on the list," Taramova was told. She has noted that a week after the ritual, her father was taken to a law enforcing body; and then she herself was forced to confidentially sign a recognizance not to leave Chechnya for six months. At the same time, they took away all her documents. "They said that if this continues, it will be very bad," adds Taramova. She expressed fears for her life to human rights defenders.

* The organization 'Sphere' (operator of the "Russian LGBT Network") is included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in the “Register of non-profit organizations performing the functions of a foreign agent”.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 19, 2021 at 08:36 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.