 Source: HRO.org (info) Local LGBT activists are shaken by this brutal murder and the wave of hate on social media that followed. St. Petersburg's LGBT community is shocked by the murder of 29-year-old Ekaterina Khomenko. GayRussia.ru reports that a street cleaner found Khomenko's body next to her car early on the morning of 7th September. The deceased's throat had been cut in a nine-centimetre slash. The front headlights and the engine of the car were still running. The police first questioned Khomenko's relatives regarding possible suicidal tendencies, before requalifiying the case as murder. Khomenko was a dance teacher, and her repertoire included tango for same-sex couples. Petersburg LGBT rights-organisation 'Coming Out' (Vykhod) made the following statement on the murder of Khomenko: 'We are shocked by the terrible murder of Ekaterina Khomenko, who was a queer dance teacher in St. Petersburg. Ekaterina was a bright person, a wonderful professional, a daughter and a friend. She was only 29.' The organisation expressed its sympathies for the family and friends of Ekaterina, noting that 'we will remember her and what she did – she gave many of us the gift of joy and wings.' Investigators are yet to release any potential versions or motives regarding the murder of Ekaterina Khomenko. Coming Out expressed its outrage in response to the wave of homophobic commentary after the murder of Khomenko on the social media site VKontakte, remarking that screenshots of the hateful commentary will be sent to the police for investigation. Translated by Tom Rowley |
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