NC SOS

NC SOS
North Caucasus SOS
Северный Кавказ SOS
FounderDavid Isteev
TypeNonprofit
Websitehttps://ncsos.io

Crisis Group NC SOS (abbr. from North Caucasus SOS, Russian: СК SOS) is a Russian organization that helps LGBTQ+ people and their families who are facing mortal danger in the North Caucasus, Russia.

History

The organization NC SOS was formally founded in October 2021 by human rights defenders and activists of the Russian LGBT Network who have been helping LGBT people in the North Caucasus since 2017, when mass persecution of LGBT people in Chechnya became known. David Isteev, who previously headed the emergency assistance department of the Russian LGBT Network, became the director of NC SOS.[1][2]

Initially, NC SOS worked as part of the charitable foundation "Sphere" (Russian: "Сфера"), until its liquidation by the Russian Ministry of Justice in April 2022.[3]

In May 2023, the Russian Ministry of Justice added NC SOS to the register of "foreign agents".[2] Formally, designation was linked to the case of Idris Arsamikov (Russian: Идрис Арсамиков).[3]

In April 2024, Roskomnadzor blocked access to the NC SOS website in Russia. Human rights activists suggest that this could be due to the new law prohibiting "LGBT propaganda", which allowed blocking of LGBT-related content without a court order.[4]

Activity

The organization helps LGBT people to leave regions where they have faced discrimination, violence and mortal danger. NC SOS also facilitates migration, provides safe housing, offers legal, financial, medical, and psychological support. The organization primarily works with applicants from Chechnya, Ingushetia, and Dagestan.[3]

NC SOS cooperates with the volunteer group "Marem" (Russian: "Марем"), which helps women who have been victims of domestic violence in the North Caucasus,[3] the LGBT emergency assistance group "Aegis" (Russian: "Эгида"), and other human rights organizations.

High-profile cases in which the Russian LGBT Network, the predecessor of NC SOS, and NC SOS itself provided assistance:

  • Maxim Lapunov, 2017 — spoke for the first time about the torture in a secret prison for gays in Grozny; he spent about two weeks in one of them.[5][2]
  • Aminat Lorsanova, 2020 — was subjected to conversion therapy by her family in Chechnya, was held in a psychiatric hospital, was tortured and "treated" by reading the Quran. She escaped with the support of NC SOS.[6][2][7]
  • Siblings Salekh Magamadov and Ismail Isaev were abducted by Chechen security forces from a crisis apartment of NC SOS in Nizhny Novgorod due to their homosexuality and opposition views, subjected to beatings and torture. They were sentenced to 8 and 6 years in prison in an unsubstantiated criminal case.[8][2]
  • Sisters Khadizhat and Patimat Khizriev, Aminat Gazimagomedova and Patimat Magomedova, 2022 — escaped from domestic violence from Dagestan to Georgia with help of NC SOS. During сrossing of the border checkpoint Verkhny Lars, Russian border guards held them for more than 11 hours.[9][2]
  • Seda Suleymanova fled from relatives in Chechnya with support of NC SOS because she refused to marry. But a year later she was detained by Chechen security forces in Saint Petersburg with assistance of the local police, and sent to Chechnya. Where, according to sources in the republic, she became the victim of "honor killing." The Investigative Committee of Russia opened a criminal investigation into Suleimanova's "disappearance without a trace," but the results of the investigation were not provided.[10][11][12]
  • Elina Ukhmanova, 2023 — was forcibly detained in Makhachkala, subjected to conversion therapy in an attempt to "cure" her of bisexuality and atheism, left Dagestan with help of NC SOS.[13][2][14]
  • Idris Arsamikov, 2023 — was tortured in Chechnya because of his homosexuality. With help of NC SOS, he left Russia and received international protection in the Netherlands. However, he returned for his father's funeral, was detained at Moscow Domodedovo Airport and handed over to Chechen security forces.[15][2]
  • Liya Zaurbekova, 2024 — escaped from domestic violence from Chechnya to Moscow. Her relatives reported her missing and attempted to kidnap from the Nagatino-Sadovniki police department. With support of the Marem group and assistance of NC SOS, she was able to leave Russia.

In 2022, NC SOS provided help to 48 people, including 26 people who were assisted in leaving the region and 45 people who were granted asylum.[1]
In 2023, NC SOS provided help to 67 people, including 21 people who were assisted in leaving the region and 29 migrated and/or were granted asylum.[16][17]
In 2024, 54 people got help, including 25 people were assisted in leaving the region and 25 people were helped in emigrating and/or were granted asylum.[18]
Since 2017 to 2024, NC SOS and its predecessor have assisted 882 people.[18]

References

  1. ^ a b "NC SOS Crisis group yearly report 2022" (PDF). Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Андрей Красно (12 May 2023). "Сотни спасенных жизней: "СК SOS" продолжат помогать ЛГБТК-людям с Северного Кавказа" [Hundreds of lives saved: NC SOS will continue to help LGBTQ people from the North Caucasus]. Кавказ.Реалии (in Russian). Retrieved 16 December 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d Елена Долженко (10 November 2023). "«Слишком быстрое отслеживание»: как на Северном Кавказе помогают ЛГБТК-людям и жертвам насилия" ["Tracking is too fast": how LGBTQ people and victims of violence are being helped in the North Caucasus]. Крым.Реалии (in Russian). Retrieved 16 December 2025.
  4. ^ "В России заблокировали сайт работающей на Северном Кавказе кризисной группы «СК SOS»" [The website of NC SOS Crisis Group operating in the North Caucasus has been blocked in Russia]. Mediazona (in Russian). 2024-04-03. Archived from the original on 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  5. ^ "Maxim Lapunov". Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  6. ^ "Aminat Lorsanova". Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  7. ^ "Сотрясти систему. История чеченки Аминат Лорсановой, сбежавшей от родственников" [Shake up the system. The story of Chechen woman Aminat Lorsanova, who ran away from her relatives]. Sotaproject (in Russian). 6 May 2024. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
  8. ^ "Salekh and Ismail". Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  9. ^ "Four sisters". Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  10. ^ ""She Knew They Would Start Looking for Her." A Friend of a Missing Chechen Seda Suleimanova on Friendship, 'Honor Killings', and Runaway Women from the North Caucasus". 19 November 2024. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  11. ^ "«Факты подсказывают, что она убита». История исчезновения Седы Сулеймановой" ["Facts suggest that she was murdered." The story of Seda Suleimanova's disappearance]. BBC News (in Russian). 8 May 2024. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  12. ^ "Похищенную чеченку Седу Сулейманову объявили в розыск как без вести пропавшую" [Kidnapped Chechen woman Seda Suleimanova has been declared missing.]. Mediazona (in Russian). 16 June 2025. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  13. ^ "Elina Ukhmanova". Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  14. ^ "Правозащитники заявили об угрозе безопасности Элины Ухмановой" [Human rights defenders have declared a threat to the safety of Elina Ukhmanova]. Caucasian Knot (in Russian). 12 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  15. ^ "Idris Arsamikov". Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  16. ^ "NC SOS Crisis group yearly report 2023" (PDF). Retrieved 2025-12-16.
  17. ^ ""СК SOS": большая часть заявлений о помощи от ЛГБТК+ людей поступило из Дагестана" ["NC SOS": Most requests for help from LGBTQ+ people came from Dagestan]. Кавказ.Реалии (in Russian). 8 March 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2025.
  18. ^ a b "North Caucasus SOS Crisis Group yearly report 2024" (PDF). Retrieved 2025-12-16.
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