Fleeing the North Caucasus: women, LGBTQ+, pressure from family or security forces

The guides below are drafts: a lawyer has not reviewed them yet. This is not legal advice.

Draft What human rights defenders advise

Fleeing the North Caucasus

A typical scheme: relatives report a 'theft' or 'disappearance', and police elsewhere detain the woman and hand her back. Rights groups advise recording a video saying you leave voluntarily and giving it to someone you trust.
There is no safe place inside Russia, so evacuations usually go abroad, often via Armenia. Use a new SIM card and new accounts, and no geotags. Leave family accounts (Google, Apple ID) and turn off 'Find My' and location sharing: people are found through these more often than through their SIM card.
NC SOS was designated 'extremist' in Russia in 2026, but the group says asking it for help does not count as taking part in its activities.
Where to turn: NC SOS (@sksos_helpbot) for LGBTQ+ people and women; Marem (@MaremGroup_bot) for women fleeing violence.

Designations of organisations in this guide: North Caucasus SOS Crisis Group (foreign agent, extremist). Contacting them carries a risk: do not write from a phone that may be seized, and do not repost their materials.

current as of 25 September 2026. More: Meduza: NC SOS designated 'extremist' (undesirable); Novaya Gazeta Europe: the case of Seda Suleimanova (undesirable)

Whom to contact

3 organisations

Marem

Helps women from Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia and North Ossetia fleeing domestic violence: evacuation, temporary housing, free lawyers and psychologists.

Founder Svetlana Anokhina was sentenced in absentia to 5 years in January 2026 under the army 'fakes' law. We could not confirm the group's own status in Russia.

The only official bot is @MaremGroup_bot. It never asks for money or SMS codes.

Other ways to reach them: Telegram channel · website

abroad contact matched to the organisation's site 26 September 2026

Message the bot @MaremGroup_bot

Sphere

Legal, psychological and emergency help for LGBTQ+ people from Russia.

The 'LGBT movement' is designated 'extremist' in Russia. Contact Sphere from a device that is not checked.

The only official bot is @spherehelpbot. It never asks for money or SMS codes.

in Russia and abroad foreign agent"LGBT movement" designated extremist contact matched to the organisation's site 26 September 2026

Get in touch

The organisation itself is not designated, but in Russia the 'LGBT movement' is designated 'extremist', and the authorities may present help to LGBT people as taking part in it. Messages on a phone that may be seized are dangerous. Write from a device you would not hand over if detained.

I understand the risk, continue

Other ways to reach them: website

@spherehelpbot

North Caucasus SOS Crisis Group

Evacuates LGBTQ+ people, their loved ones and women threatened by their families from Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan; shelter, doctors, psychologists, lawyers.

Designated 'extremist' in Russia in summer 2026. The group says asking it for help does not count as taking part in its activities. It no longer has staff or volunteers inside Russia.

The only official bot is @sksos_helpbot. It never asks for money or SMS codes.

North Caucasus and abroad foreign agentextremist contact matched to the organisation's site 26 September 2026

Get in touch

This organisation is designated 'extremist' in Russia. It says that a consultation is not participation in its work, but messages on a phone that may be seized and reposts of its materials are dangerous. Write from a device you would not hand over if detained.

I understand the risk, continue

Other ways to reach them: sksos.org · help@sksos.org

@sksos_helpbot

What next

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