On January 30, the administrative court of Yerevan declined the extradition request for Salman Mukayev, who hails from Chechnya and faced torture in his homeland due to suspicions of homosexuality. Mukayev, fearing persecution, was granted asylum and refugee status based on the potential risks he faced in his country.

Information confirmed the court's decision, citing concerns over the repressive treatment of the LGBT community in both Chechnya and Russia at large. The verdict underscored that recent laws in Russia label the LGBT+ community as an extremist movement, heightening the risks for individuals like Mukayev.

Notably, Mukayev's ordeal began in February 2020 when he was detained in Chechnya. Reports from human rights organizations detail severe torture inflicted upon him by law enforcement, including beatings, suffocation, and electric shocks, to extract a confession regarding his sexual orientation and activities. Allegedly coerced, he was forced to implicate himself in illegal acts and cooperate with the authorities. Following his release, Mukayev sought refuge in Armenia, only to discover that he was wanted in Russia on charges related to weapons possession. Despite attempts to leave for the European country that had granted him asylum, Mukayev was detained at passport control in Armenia upon discovering the Russian warrants. Subsequently, he applied for asylum in Armenia, where his family faced disintegration after years of persecution in Chechnya.