The warden of a Chechen prison alleged to be one of the locations where gay men were detained and tortured by police has claimed his officers would “not even want to touch such people”.

Ayub Kataev, head of the ministry of internal affairs for the town of Argun, showed a team from Vice News around its now abandoned police facility in an attempt to disprove the alleged abuse of more than 100 men.

“Imagine if there are gays - would we, the Chechens, communicate with them at all?” he asked.

“My officers would not even want to touch such people - if they exist - let alone beating or torturing them.”

Mr Kataev was filmed asking police officers standing on parade whether he had ordered them to arrest or torture gay people, with the recruits shouting “no” in response.

Footage showed footprints on the floor of the abandoned facility, where empty rooms were filled with broken glass and furniture.

Alleged victims told researchers at the Russian LGBT Network, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and newspaper Novaya Gazeta that Argun was among the locations where they were detained, beaten and given electric shocks after being kidnapped on suspicion of being gay.

News of the disappearances provoked global outcry earlier this year, prompting a rare pledge of a formal investigation from the Kremlin.

Officials in Chechnya, a federal subject of Russia, have denied the reported “gay purge” and repeatedly claimed that there are no LGBT people in the predominantly Muslim republic.

Kheda Saratova, Chechnya's Human Rights Commissioner and government advisor, claimed she had seen no evidence of the alleged persecution.

“I have never seen a single gay and none have ever brought me a statement, or even a verbal complaint, how can I confirm they exist?” she told Vice News.

“If they exist of course I will help them if they come to me.

“But today if there was a member of the LGBT community, this person, knowing our traditions, could have simply gone to a train station, purchased a ticket and left without announcing it.”

LGBT+ rights around the globe Show all 9 1 /9 LGBT+ rights around the globe LGBT+ rights around the globe Russia Russia’s antipathy towards homosexuality has been well established following the efforts of human rights campaigners. However, while it is legal to be homosexual, LGBT couples are offered no protections from discrimination. They are also actively discriminated against by a 2013 law criminalising LGBT “propaganda” allowing the arrest of numerous Russian LGBT activists. AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Brunei Brunei recently introduced a law to make sodomy punishable by stoning to death. It was already illegal and punishable by up to 10 years in prison AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Mauritania Men who are found having sex with other men face stoning, while lesbians can be imprisoned, under Sharia law. However, the state has reportedly not executed anyone for this ‘crime’ since 1987 Alamy LGBT+ rights around the globe Sudan Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal under Sudanese law. Men can be executed on their third offence, women on their fourth Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Saudi Arabia Homosexuality and gender realignment is illegal and punishable by death, imprisonment, whipping and chemical castration Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Yemen The official position within the country is that there are no gays. LGBT inviduals, if discovered by the government, are likely to face intense pressure. Punishments range from flogging to the death penalty Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Nigeria Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal and in some northern states punishable with death by stoning. This is not a policy enacted across the entire country, although there is a prevalent anti-LGBT agenda pushed by the government. In 2007 a Pew survey established that 97% of the population felt that homosexuality should not be accepted. It is punishable by 14 years in prison Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Somalia Homosexuality was established as a crime in 1888 and under new Somali Penal Code established in 1973 homosexual sex can be punishable by three years in prison. A person can be put to death for being a homosexual Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Iraq Although same-sex relationships have been decriminalised, much of the population still suffer from intense discrimination. Additionally, in some of the country over-run by the extremist organisation Isis, LGBT individuals can face death by stoning Getty

Vice said its access to authorities and Argun prison was brokered through regional authorities “keen to demonstrate their innocence” and that journalists were closely monitored throughout their stay.

Tatiana Lokshina, the Russian programme director at HRW, said reports of new abductions had stopped, suggesting that international pressure has worked.

The organisation said men were rounded up in February and April, being tortured into confessions, humiliated, starved and forced to hand over information about other men who might be gay.

Police allegedly returned of the men to their families, exposing their sexual orientation and indirectly encouraging their relatives to carry out “honor killings”, causing many to flee to Russia still fearing retribution.

“Magomed,” one of the purge victims, told HRW: “They have long arms and they can find me and the others anywhere in Russia, just give them time.”

Chechnya is also alleged to have used torture and secret detention centres against suspected insurgents, political dissidents and drug users in previous crackdowns.

British MPs discussed the campaign in the House of Commons in April, with the Government urged to send the “strongest possible siren message” to Russia, which itself adopted an anti-LGBT “propaganda law“ 2013.