Moscow, Russia (CNN) Dozens of people have been detained and at least two have died in custody,amid a fresh crackdown on LGBT groups in the Russian republic of Chechnya, activists said Monday.

Around 40 people -- both men and women -- have been detained in recent weeks in a "new wave of persecution," Igor Kochetkov, the head of rights group Russian LGBT Network, said in a statement.

He added that "at least two people died as a result of tortures." Kochetkov said the detentions were carried out by law enforcement officers, with victims held in the southern city of Argun.

"The local police make every effort to prevent victims from leaving the region or applying to the courts in the future," said Kochetkov.

"They take away documents, they [threaten] victims with criminal proceedings against them or their close ones, and they force them to sign empty forms."

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