The Russian newspaper that first broke the news that hundreds of gay men had been detained in the Chechen Republic has now named 27 men who it says were killed in a single bloody night in January.

Novaya Gazeta says up to 56 men were executed without trial on in the capital of Grozny of 25 January. The newspaper has named 27 of the alleged victims.

The newspaper said the men were rounded up and killed in response to the murder of a policeman in December. The incident is separate to the gay purge allegations that have been leveled at the Chechen government. Why the 56 men were targeted has not been revealed, it is not known if any of the men were gay.

The newspaper said it had taken the decision to release the names as the Russian government appeared to have little control over the actions of the Chechen region.

LGBTI rights advocates in Russia have claimed that gay men are still being arrested and detained in the region and that the Chechen authorities are now operating six prisons for gay men.

OIP Staff, Image: Solidiers in Chechnya by Iryna Hromotska – Shutterstock.com