A woman found dead in St Petersburg on the weekend has been identified as Yelena Grigoryeva, a prominent LGBTIQ+ activist in Russia.
Though officials have not revealed the identify of the deceased, LGBTIQ+ activists and local media outlets have named Grigoryeva and noted she was sent a number of death threats ahead of being found.
Grigoryeva’s death comes after her name was listed on an anti-LGBTIQ+ website, which urged violent action against a selection of known advocates in Russia.
The site was said to be inspired by the Saw movie franchise, and provided information that could help those who sought to take violent action against the LGBTIQ+ community. The website has since been removed by Russia’s internet watchdog.
Advocate Dinar Idrisov of the Russian LGBT Network said Grigoryeva had been threatened multiple times, but authorities had “no noticeable reaction.”
“An activist of democratic, anti-war and LGBT movements Yelena Grigoryeva was brutally murdered near her house,” Idrisov wrote on Facebook.
Under President Vladimir Putin, Russia has cultivated a strong anti-LGBTIQ+ sentiment, enacting ‘gay propaganda’ laws that prevent LGBTIQ+ people from spreading messages of community and protest.
Russia’s laws have been widely criticised by human rights groups around the globe, including the European Court of Human Rights.
OIP Staff
