Russia blocks Saw-inspired website hunting gay people

One of the first victims of the Russian ‘Saw’ game targeting alleged gay men | Photo: Supplied

Following reports and complaints, Russia blocked a website named and inspired by the horror franchise Saw which ‘gameified’ tracking down and assaulting LGBTI people.

The Russian LGBT Network first announced the website, Saw, was blocked on Wednesday (17 July). They warned, however, ‘this resource has been blocked before’ and they want to make sure ‘it never opens again’.

Reports of this group operating and encouraging the ‘hunting’ of gay people first appeared last spring.

Recent developments of the website, however, made it even more terrifying.

What did this hateful website publish?

As Gay Star News reported at the start of the month, the website recently began publishing private information of leading LGBTI activists and journalists.

Misha Tumasov, head of the Russian LGBT Network, temporarily left Russia after fears for his safety. In one of the website’s recent posts before it became blocked, they identified Tumasov.

When Saw first began, it welcomed ‘gay hunters’ and charged 200 Rubles (US $3) to find personal information of allegedly gay people. If someone found their name on the website and wanted it removed, they had to pay 1500 Rubles (US $23).

The website calls the homophobic hunt ‘Chechnya’s Comeback’ referring to the northern Caucasus region which began a ‘gay purge’. Since December 2017 Chechen authorities have rounded up, illegally detained, tortured and executed allegedly LGBTI people.

Saw offered legal protections to users but warned them they can do ‘anything but kill them’.

A number of individuals reported homophobic assaults following the website publishing their information.

Then the website began publishing the information of LGBTI leaders.

Viacheslav Datsik, a former kickboxer and MMA fighter, wanted to ‘talk’ to Tumasov and other activists, according to a Saw post.

Datsik became involved in violent crime following his fighting career. He has served time in both prison and mental health facilities since 2007. Most recently, he ended his latest stint in prison in February.

What happens now?

As the Russian LGBT Network warned, authorities previously blocked the website before someone revived it again.

‘If you agree with us, consider that calls to violence are unacceptable and illegal, you can turn to law enforcement agencies with a demand to initiate a criminal case against the creators of this “Game,”‘ they wrote on their own website.

They also provided instructions and resources for contacting the Federal Security Service, the Investigation Committee and the Prosecutor General’s Office.

See also

Russia website calls for ‘gay hunters’ to attack LGBTIs across the country

There’s a video game where you play as Jesus and kill gay people for points

Russian president Vladimir Putin called trans people ‘transformers’