A new “purge” against gay men and women may be under way in Chechnya, according to activists. Late on Thursday, a warning appeared on social media, urging all vulnerable men and women to flee after reports emerged of gay men being arrested, tortured, and detained in the southern Russian region. “We ask anyone still free to take this message seriously and leave the republic as soon as is possible,” read the statement. Comments made under the post suggest that this latest crackdown may have come after authorities got a hold of contacts of LGBT Chechens. Igor Kochetkov, head of the LGBT Network, which has helped a number of Chechens to safety, told The Independent that the group had received credible information of a renewed crackdown.