RUSSIA GAY HATE LEADER FLEES

The man behind the racist and anti-gay group that recently kidnapped and tortured a young South African student in Russia has left the country.

Maxim Martsinkevich is the founder of the neo-Nazi Occupy Paedophilia movement.

The group conducts “sting” operations in which it lures young gay men into being abused and humiliated. Videos of the incidents are usually posted online.

The group claimed responsibility for the recent humiliating video in which a 20-year-old South African studying in the city of Belgorod was forced to strip, simulate oral sex on a beer bottle and say racist slurs.

He was also slapped, had his hair shaved and was made to kiss a watermelon, which was then smashed into his face. The student was reportedly expelled from Belgorod State University when he reported the incident.

On Monday, the Moscow Times reported that Martsinkevich had announced on Russian social media that he was now in Thailand.

He said that he had left Russia “on an urgent vacation” to avoid possible arrest over Occupy Paedophilia’s actions.

Martsinkevich specifically fears being prosecuted over a video in which he abused a gay Iraqi man in the Ukraine last month.

He has twice previously been convicted of racial hatred in Russia and could face up two years in prison if convicted again.

In the meantime, Pretoria attorney Coenie Kukkuk, who last week contacted the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and the Russian Ambassador to South Africa about the South African incident, says he’s still not received any response.

In e-mails and faxes he called on officials to investigate the incident and to issue a travel advisory to LGBT South Africans travelling to Russia.

Kukkuk, who is also the Africa & Middle East Director for Mr. Gay World, told Mambaonline that he has fax and e-mail evidence that his letters had been read, despite DIRCO spokesperson Clayson Monyela telling The Star newspaper last week that they had not received these.

“It’s an outright lie,” he said. “They could have at least acknowledged the letter and that they are looking into it or even say that they’re not interested.”

Kukkuk added: “Our concern is where the victim is and is he alright?”

Mambaonline left a message with Monyela in an effort to learn if the young man had received any assistance from the South Africa embassy in Russia and is awaiting a reply.