The world has been aware for the last couple of years that LGBT people in Chechnya face arrest and persecution. But what exactly is happening in the region and why? Below are some of the key details and facts. Where is Chechnya? Chechnya, or the Chechen Republic, is a subject of the Russian Federation located in the North Caucasus region. It has a population of 1.4 million and the capital is Grozny. The main religion is Islam and people mainly speak Chechen and Russian. Its president is Ramzan Kadyrov, who has been in power since 2007. He tends to rule the country in accordance with traditional Islamic social codes, even if these contravene Russian law.