.JamesAALongman talks about reporting from Chechnya where individuals say they've been beaten and tortured for their sexuality. 'When I'm reporting in general, in any country...I'm conscious of young people who are worried about their identity.'
Years of war and a rather vague process for actually meeting relevant officials left us wondering how much we would actually see going to Chechnya. But we wanted to take the chance, and so, after meeting in Moscow, our team took the three hour flight to Grozny. As is so often the case in my work, I found myself in a place where the system seemed unpredictable at best.
After we waited two hours for her to arrive, Saratova appeared and led us inside. We repeated our desire to meet a representative from the security services and to visit a police site.She made the calls, speaking into the phone quietly. When she hung up, we asked her who she had spoken to.Yes, we thought. But that will never happen, surely.
One of the most important men in the country wanted to spend the evening with us and he seemed delighted at the attention.Out on the street, Alaudinov launched into a tour, leading us down Grozny’s freshly rebuilt central street. Everyone recognized him. Young men would stand to attention and bow as we walked past. Mothers strolling with children for the evening would stop and point, whispering to one another.
Grozny is a revelation; two brutal wars had totally flattened it. But with huge investment from Russia -- and increasingly, parts of the Persian Gulf -- it is turning into a modern city. An obsession with flashing neon lights turns nighttime Grozny into something of an amusement park, but with families sitting out, eating and drinking in the warm evening air. It was as the general said: a peaceful scene.
The team turned to me, their eyes asking if I'd tell him now, later or not at all. I spoke quickly, laughing,"None of us! Why do you think that?"It was as if one of us had to be gay, because why else would anyone care? A producer, John, quickly diverted attention, telling Alaudinov about his gay cousin. But earlier, his views on gay people had been made clear. No, they weren't rounding them up, because Chechnya just doesn't have gay people.
Seeing that he was enjoying himself, we decided to try our luck. Any possibility of a visit to a prison? We were prodding the tiger. So far, he was enjoying it. It was clear to us he saw this as a PR opportunity of sorts. But he was opening up about a world few have seen. "There are 10,500 policemen here," Alaudinov said."Can you find me one state in the world where a policeman hasn’t committed some kind of crime."
We made our way to the prison block, and by this time, we had amassed a small following of armed guards and other officials: a bigger audience for the general's one-man show. An eternity passed as I waited for the translation. It didn’t seem to register. Strangely, he asked,"How does it work?"
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