Gay Russia News & Reports 2008

The organising committee of Moscow Gay Pride officially revealed their plans yesterday, and confirmed that the event will take place on May 30 and 31. It will be the third Pride in the Russian capital. A march in central Moscow, in support of tolerance and respect for the rights and freedoms of homosexual people in Russia, is set for Saturday May 31. Plans to stage marches in the previous two Gay Prides have been scuppered by Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov. Internal sources of the Interfax news agency within Moscow City Hall are hinting that the mayor is unlikely to change his opinion of the Gay Pride – and will again ban it. The march will act as a finale to the two-day event, which will feature an international human rights conference, with Russian and foreign politicians and activists participating.

“Each year, our movement is getting bigger, and not only in terms of organizers but also in terms of participants,” said Moscow Pride president Nikolai Alekseev, who last weekend received a “hero” awards in Los Angeles during the International Mr. Gay finals for his attempts to stage full Prides. He was arrested during both previous Prides. “When Moscow Pride was started there were only three of us, second Pride was organised by seven people – while this year the organising committee has been increased to ten. It is a diverse group of men and women, homosexual and heterosexual.”

In addition to Mr. Alekseev, the committee is made up of: the leader of Russia’s lesbian movement Evgeniya Debryanskaya; GayRussia.Ru activist Nikolai Baev, coordinators of LGBT Rights movement Alexey Davydov and Irina Fet; deputy of Bashkortostan Parliament Edward Murzin; Transnational radical party activist Nikolai Khramov; coordinator of the Free Radicals movement Sergei Konstantinov; gay activist and publisher Vlad Ortanov and rebel Russian Orthodox archbishop Alexiy Skrypnikov-Dardaki.

Mr. Alekseev said that “notification concerning the march will be sent to Moscow Mayor in accordance with Russian legislation two weeks before the event. The authorities have no legal basis for banning the event,” he continued. “That is why, even if they ban it again, we will still go on the streets to realise our constitutional right to freedom of assembly.” He said that the paperwork for the application to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg over last year’s ban of the Gay Pride march should be completed in early Feburary for delivery to the court.

The matter of the ban on the first march, on May 27, 2006, is already in Strasbourg and is awaiting consideration. Previously, the Moscow authorities have rejected requests to stage marches on on the grounds that it would interfere with the rights and routines of ordinary Muscovites. Mayor Yuri Luzhkov has branded gay pride parades as “Satanic” and vowed that they would never be permitted in the capital while he was in office. The Russian Orthodox Church and a number of far-right groups have sworn to halt any attempt to hold any march in support of gay rights in Russia. Last year, Moscow’s Tverskoi District Court ruled that a city ban on holding a Gay Pride Parade was legal. Around 100 protestors subsequently gathered outside City Hall to submit a petition to the mayor against what they called an “unfounded and illegal prohibition on holding the march in support of sexual minorities in Russia.”

The protest turned violent when British gay rights activist Peter Tatchell was kicked and beaten by extremists. Police detained 31 people, including two Italian members of the European parliament, in the ensuing melée as both still images and TV footage flashed round the world. The hostile crowd at last year’s demonstration against Gay Pride included people carrying crosses and wearing Orthodox Church dress, along with ultra-nationalists. Russia is a member of the Council of Europe, and a signatory to the European Convention of Human Rights, which obliges the state to allow demonstrations to be held.

pinknews.co.uk
http://pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-6775.html

6th February 2008

2
Poll exposes high levels of Russian homophobia

by PinkNews.co.uk staff writer
New data released yesterday in Moscow has found that just 5% of Russians do not view homosexuality as morally unacceptable. The Levada-Centre, a well-respected polling organisation, held a poll last year and found that negative attitudes to gay people are on the increase. Last year just 47% of people condemned LGB people. In December’s poll 84% of respondents said they find homosexuality morally unacceptable reports Kommersant.com. Experts said that the rise of xenophobia in Russia is an important factor, as well as the level of publicity surrounding banned gay rights marches in the country.

The resurgence of religion, previously banned under Communist rule, has also led to a newfound hatred of gay people. Under President Putin, Russia has become increasingly aggressive toward foreign influences in the country, while other politicians have spoken out against gay rights. The Mayor of Moscow, who has banned gay rights marches in the city in 2006 and 2007 and spoken of his hatred for gay and lesbian people on many occasions, has been publicly backed by the President. Russia decriminalised homosexuality in 1993 and while there are a few gay clubs opening in large cities, there are no high-profile openly gay politicians or business leaders.

pinknews.co.uk
http://pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-6889.html

19th February 2008

3
Russia to hold anti-homophobia week

by Gemma Pritchard
Major cities across Russia are to hold events in support of Russian Week against Homophobia next month, as a reaction to the homophobic attitudes which still prevail within the country. It has been 15 years since criminal prosecution of male homosexuality was repealed in Russia. Russian Week against Homophobia is an attempt to attract public attention to the problem of homophobia in Russian society. It will be held between 25-21 March. It is the successor of similar events conducted in Russia during European Week against Homophobia (EWAHO) in March 2007.

Events are due to be held in Saint-Petersburg, Voronezh, Krasnodar, Omsk, Petrozavodsk, Rostov-na-Donu, Samara, Tumen and Cheylabinsk. There will also be events held in the capital city Moscow, where Mayor Yuri Luzhkov banned two gay pride parades in 2006 and 2007 and seems likely to ban the third pride on 31 May this year. There will be seminars, panel discussions, meetings, film showings with debates, as well as other events targeted at homophobia elimination in Russian society. In addition, the signature drive for the "Manifest against Homophobia" which was started last year will be continued. The week is being organised by various LGBT organisations across Russia, including the Russian LGBT Network, Youth Network against Racism and Intolerance (YNRI) and "LaSky" HIV Prevention Campaign.

The organisers of the event said in a statement: "For almost a decade same-sex attraction is no longer considered pathological among mainstream Russian medical specialists. But still Russian society as a whole embodies strong negative attitudes and intolerance towards men and women of homosexual orientation based on prejudice and misinformation. It leads to widespread violation of human rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBT), as well as to hate crimes – physical violence based on sexual orientation or gender identity. "Low level of sex education is the ground for promoting fear, hatred and extremely fascist ideas by organizations and public figures of particular kind. That’s why homophobia is dangerous not only for LGBT themselves, but for the entire society, where the tendency for suppressing any individuality is being instilled."

gayrussia.ru
http://gayrussia.ru/en/news/detail.php?ID=10970

22 February 2008

4
Anti-gay Riot Participant Becomes Representative Of Communist Presidential Candidate In Russia: Homophobic communist takes part in Russian elections

Young communist Pavel Tarasov, who participated in anti-gay riots in Moscow, became a person empowered to act for Gennady Zyuganov, presidential candidate and leader of Communist Party of Russian Federation. As a representative of communist leader Mr. Tarasov took recently part in debates between presidential candidates on Russian national TV channel. Pavel Tarasov participated in two anti-gay riots in the center of Russian capital. In 2006 and 2007 during two Moscow gay pride manifestations with a group of young homophobic communists he helped to disperse LGBT people on the streets of Moscow. Wearing a red T-shirt with communist symbols Tarasov was a head of homophobic mob which shouted on the streets: “Death to faggots!” In 2006 photographs of Tarasov and his comrades appeared on the Internet against a background of nationalists and Cossacks dispersing LGBT demonstrators.

During gay pride manifestation in 2007 Tarasov and his homophobes appeared again on the Moscow streets. They shouted again: “Death to faggots!” and made homophobic statements in front of the cameras. Mr. Tarasov published reports on his anti-gay riots on the official homepage of Youth Communist Union. His most notorious homophobic statement was made in 2006 at the official forum of young communist homepage. In October 2006 he declared: “Faggots need to attract attention to themselves so that they could be regarded as gays, not as faggots. Good faggot is a dead faggot!”

Besides Mr. Tarasov runs for municipal election in Moscow. Moscow municipal assemblies will be elected on March 2, in the same time with presidential election. Communist Party of Russian Federation is still one of the most homophobic parties in Russia. Its leader Gennady Zyuganov says that homosexuality contradicts to Russian national traditions. Communist member of State Duma Vitor Ilyukhin supported criminal penalty for homosexuality in Russia recently.

pinknews.co.uk
http://pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-7147.htmlpinknews.co.uk

17th March 2008

5
Russian anti-homophobia week faces nationalist protests

by Gavin Lambert
Anti-gay activist have begun preparations to disrupt the planned Russian Week Against Homophobia. It is being held in cities such as Moscow, St Petersburg, Voronezh, Krasnodar, Omsk, Petrozavodsk, Rostov-na-Donu, Samara, Tumen and Cheylabinsk. During the week of March 25th-31st, there will be a series of seminars, panel discussions, meetings and film showings with debates. In addition to this, more signatures for the Manifesto against Homophobia, that was started last year, will be sought. However, such events are not welcomed by all. There are reports that many on the far-right and among Russia’s conservative religious community are focused on disrupting the events, even going to the point of refusing to rule out acts
of criminal behaviour.

An email, sent to PinkNews.co.uk, states:

"Conducting these kind of activities that flagrantly violate the rights of the citizens of our country to freedom and their moral development, could result in clashes between extremists and true believers, as well as other opponents of sodomy. We have started preparations for the breakdown of these activities with volunteers in all the above cities. Hopefully you will wisely stop holding these kind of satanic activities on the territory of our country."

Russian society as well as the government are notoriously homophobic in character. In past year the Mayor of Moscow has refused to allow gay pride marches, referring to them as Satanic. LGBT activists regularly face intimidation and violence from far right groups who see the LGBT community as a ‘threat’ to Russia’s national security.

"Russian society as a whole embodies strong negative attitudes and intolerance towards men and women of homosexual orientation based on prejudice and misinformation," a statement on the Russian Week Against Homophobia website reads. "It leads to widespread violation of human rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBT), as well as to hate crimes – physical violence based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Low levels of sex education is the ground for promoting fear, hatred and extremely fascist ideas by organisations and public figures of particular kind. That’s why homophobia is dangerous not only for LGBT themselves, but for the entire society, where the tendency for suppressing any individuality is being instilled."

It is being organised by the Russian LGBT Network, the Youth Network against Racism and Intolerance, the Movement of civil actions GROZA, the Russian HIV/AIDS Prevention Network and LGBT Organisations Raduzhniy Dom, Krug-Karelia and Favorit.

pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-7483.html

April 24, 2008

6
Gay pride event banned by homophobic Moscow mayor

by Adam Lake
The homophobic Mayor of Moscow has banned this years gay pride event. The Mayor, who has referred to gay rights marches as "satanic" has outlawed the march which was due to take place next week. The move comes amidst a growing number of violent threats from members of the orthodox church and far right groups. However, a number of gay rights activists are insisting on holding a variety of events over the coming weeks, highlighting the homophobia that Russia’s LGBT community are subjected to. Moscow Pride was banned by the city’s Mayor in 2006 and in 2007.

There has been an increasing amount of global publicity concerning the persecution of Moscow’s LGBT community and the prejudice that the community are receiving from their homophobic Mayor. A spokesmen from his office said: "It is a matter of surprise and indignation that gays plan to carry out unsanctioned gatherings in various parts of Moscow during the Festival of Peace and Work"

An unsanctioned parade on May 27 last year, the anniversary of the abolition of a Soviet law that criminalized homosexuality, ended with ultra-nationalists throwing eggs and punching and kicking gay activists Last year a number of gay protesters including Peter Tatchell and Right Said Fred singer Richard Fairbrass, were physically attacked by a homophobic mob. The British Film Institute recently screened a film about Moscow’s LGBT community and their gay pride event. The documentary film East-West: Sex Politics by director Jochen Hick was screened as part of the Gay and Lesbian film festival. It premiered in the Berlin International Film Festival in February and follows some LGBT people in Moscow around the Moscow Pride events.

East/West: Sex Politics is described as an "in-depth account of the attempts to mount a Gay Pride parade in Moscow in 2006 and 2007. "This film offers a chilling reminder of the fragile state of the rights of sexual minorities in Russia," pride organiser Nikolai Alekseev told PinkNews.co.uk At a press conference on February 1, 2007, former Russian President Vladimir Putin was asked for his opinion on homosexuality in the midst of a row over the decision by Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov to ban a gay rights parade in Moscow. Putin said, "With regards to what the heads of regions say, I normally try not to comment. I don’t think it is my business.

Support for gay marriage in Russia is at 14%

pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-7591.html

May 8, 2008

7
Religious groups gang up against Moscow Pride

by Tony Grew
The leaders of all the major religions in Russia have written to the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights urging him not to support gay people’s right to march. Moscow Pride has been banned for two years running, but organisers plan to go ahead with the event later this month. In a letter to Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg, Buddhist, Muslim, Russian Orthodox and Jewish leaders referred to "so-called pride" events and "non-traditional sexual orientation." They argued that as the majority of Russians think lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people commit sins "damaging human dignity" they do not have the rights others do. The signatories to the letter included the Head of the Buddhist Traditional Sangha in Russia; the Chairman of the Council of Muftis in Russia, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad and Berel Lazar, Chief Rabbi of Russia.

"We would like to draw your attention to the fact that an overwhelming majority in Russian society do not believe homosexuality to be a norm in sexual relations," they wrote. "The unity in this matter is based on deeply-rooted moral perceptions of the traditional religions in Russia: Orthodoxy, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism. The faithful of these religions have been educated from times immemorial for the respect of traditional family, which is the union of man and woman. We believe this attitude to marriage to be the only right one, while its distortions expressed among other things in homosexuality to be a sin damaging human dignity. The commitments of the Russian Federation under the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms give our government the opportunity to reserve for itself the right to limit human rights for the protection of morals.

"This Convention, just as other international agreements signed by the Russian Federation, does not and cannot determine the moral conceptions of our society. This is beyond the force of international law. We reject therefore the lawless attempt to export to Russia any amoral behaviour standards wrapped in legal form. Unlike some European states, Russia is not responsible for the physical extermination of homosexuals. Our religious communities have treated those who have fallen in this sin with patience, offering them help and support in overcoming their illness. This sinful passion however, essentially destructive for any person, has never been encouraged.

"Therefore, we have consistently urged to abandon the propaganda of sinful distortions of human nature, which have been believed to be such for millennia. The traditional religions in Russia believe that good relations between our state and other European countries are a guarantee of peace and well-being of Europe. Therefore we ask you not to support the planned action of sexual minorities which can create a spiritual and value-orientated divide between Russia and the Council of Europe. We do not want to see an opinion establishing itself in Russia that the Council of Europe is an organisation ready to support actions contrary to the religious beliefs of the Russian faithful and grossly trampling upon their conscience."

Thomas Hammarberg was elected as the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights by the Parliamentary Assembly in 2005. Last month he called for more protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. "Since I took up the office, I have been quite horrified by the extent of homophobia in a number of countries in Europe," he said.

Metropolitan Kirill, who is head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, said in January that not viewing homosexuality as a sin will lead to a variety of other sexual perversions. "Morality is either absolute or it does not exist. If you excuse homosexuality, why not excuse paedophilia?" he said.

The 47-member Council of Europe predates the European Union. It promotes and protects democracy, educational and sporting co-operation and created the European Court of Human Rights. Mr Hammarberg, who is Swedish, said last month that gay Pride marches should not be banned or obstructed by national or local authorities. The Mayor of Moscow has described Pride as ‘Satanic’ and banned it in 2006 and 2007. Organisers have taken him to the European Court of Human Rights over his actions, but their case has yet to come before the court.

The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/03/AR2008050301316.html

May 3, 2008

8
Russia must grab chance to beat AIDS epidemic: U.N.

by James Kilner, Reuters
Moscow (Reuters) – Russia will undo good progress in combating HIV/AIDS and miss the chance to stem the epidemic if it does not offer more help to people who inject themselves with drugs, U.N. AIDS chief Peter Piot said on Saturday. Piot also warned Russia and Ukraine of a rise in the proportion of women infected with the HIV virus who neither inject drugs nor work as prostitutes — a segment of the population previously considered less vulnerable. After Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia the former Soviet Union has the highest number of people who carry the HIV virus which transmutes into the deadly AIDS infection, although the infection rate in the region has slowed over the last few years. "They are on the right path, the right trajectory but some difficult decisions have to be made," Piot told Reuters in Moscow during a conference on AIDS in the former Soviet Union. "The region is at a critical point."

Russia and the Central Asian states lie on the main heroin trafficking route from Afghanistan to Europe and drug users injecting themselves with infected needles account for up to 80 percent of people with the HIV virus. The former Soviet states have ploughed millions of dollars into combating HIV over the last few years and boosted partnerships between civil society and the government with positive results. Despite a 150 percent increase in people infected with HIV since 2001 to around 1.6 million, the rate of annual new infections slowed to about 150,000 in 2007 from 210,000 in 2001. In Sub-Saharan Africa around 22.5 million people are infected with HIV and in South Asia about 4 million people live with the virus. "Here the big difference is that injecting drug use is so widespread compared to other countries in the world, millions of people are doing it," Piot said.

Economic Collapse

Drug usage is high partly because of an economic collapse after the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union which cost millions of people their jobs and livelihoods across the region and the relative cheapness of heroin as it is smuggled to Europe. New figures showed a third of drug users in Uzbekistan are infected with HIV. But Russia has declined to invest in clinics where heroin users can take the opiate substitute methadone in a clean, controlled environment — a technique which has reduced HIV infections in Europe and North America.

"If you don’t supply clean needles, if you don’t supply methadone you can’t control the epidemic," Piot said. A stigma against people infected with HIV remains strong in Russia and both the public and the government are unwilling to invest in methadone and needle exchange clinics for drug users. Some experts also argue that introducing methadone will increases the number of drug addicts. And a new characteristic of HIV infection in the ex-Soviet states is the rise in the percentage of women among newly infected people — doubling to around 40 percent in Russia and Ukraine in 2007 from 2000.

"The question for me is: Is this the beginning of the generalization of HIV, is HIV getting out of the classic high risk groups?" Piot said. These women typically contract HIV through sex and often only discover they carry the virus when checking for infections during a pregnancy, Piot said. "Women here have the illusion that they are not at risk, that HIV is just for gays and drug users," he said.

(Editing by Richard Balmforth) (james.kilner@reuters.com, +7 775 1242)

gayrussia.ru
http://www.gayrussia.ru/en/news/detail.php?ID=11368/en/news/detail.php?ID=11368

May 4, 2008

9
LGBT activists in Saint Petersburg dared to be visible, Russian LGBT community gets more visibility

by Nikolai Baev, GayRussia.Ru
On May 3 single pickets were held in Saint Petersburg dedicated to the Day of Silence. LGBT activists informed heterosexuals about discrimination, violence and pressure towards gay people. About 20 activists gathered in Chernyshevsky Garden in St. Petersburg. Their mouths were gummed by adhesive tape. One by one they stood in the middle of the Garden and gave out leaflets against homophobia. Media reported eralier that city authorities had permitted activists to hold a picket. But according to one of organisers of the event, on April 30 authorities changed their mind and prohibited the picket. Activists decided to hold single pickets which don’t need to be permitted by authorities according to the Russian law. Situation in St. Petersburg is looking like the story with picket of Moscow LGBT activists in front of European Commission office in Moscow in summer 2007. LGBT activists and representatives of Libertarian Movement “Free Radicals” wanted to call European Comission to ban entry of Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov in EU countries because of his permanant violation of civil rights.

Moscow activists did not say in their application anything about gay rights. So they received permission from city authorities without problems. But as soon as medias reported that gays and lesbians would take part in the picket, the event was prohibited and its participants detained by police. Moscow City Hall prohibited any public manifestions of LGBT people. So they often detain even participants of single pickets, especially held by opposition activists. Gays and lesbians in St. Petersburg were lucky, and police didn’t detain any participant of single pickets. Policemen even accompanied activists from the Garden. However this didn’t protect them from a homophobic attack. Two activists were attacked by a group of homophobes. The same things happened to Moscow activists in summer 2006, during picket in front of Iranian Embassy against executions of minor gays in Iran. Few homophobic nationalists gathered in front of the Embassy but did not dare to attack participants.

Moreover policemen accompanied LGBT activists to the metro station. And just inside metro station one of activists was attacked by a homophobe. LGBT activists in Saint Peteresburg start to realize that they should be visible in order to successfully fight for their civil and social rights. Two years later they start to go the way which was discovered by Moscow Gay Pride movement since 2006. At the same time they will inevitably face the same problems and situations which have been already experienced by Moscow activists. However faces of participants have been hidden behind adhesive tape or even sunglasses. So they looked slightly like gays and lesbians who gathered in front of White House in Washington D.C. in 1960s. The same black glasses, the same fear to be recognised.

Interfax
http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=4633

04 May 2008,

10
Gay activists attacked in St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, May 4, Interfax – Unidentified assailants attacked gay activists after a Day of Silence picket in Chernyshevsky Park in St. Petersburg on Saturday. Several homophobes dressed as rappers, attacked gays and lesbians as they were leaving the park after the picket at 2 p.m., a gay activist told Interfax. They punched and kicked several picketers and fled after they saw police approaching, he said. These people remained nearby all through the picket, he said. "Police approached them for an ID check, but failed to isolate them," he added.

No comments from police are available to Interfax.

pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-7661.html

May 16, 2008

11
Moscow bans gays and lesbians from holding demonstration

by Adam Lake
A small group of gay men and women have been banned from holding a picket in front of the General Prosecution office in downtown Moscow on Saturday. Organisers and participants had planned to demand the starting of a criminal investigation against Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, who is accused to breaking the law by using his powers as Mayor to ban gay rights events in the city. Article 149 of Russian Criminal Code implies criminal penalties for officials who prevent public demonstrations by using their official position. The maximum penalty is up to 3 years in prison.

The picket was planned to coincide with the fourth International Day Against Homophobia. Nikolai Alekseev, chief organiser of Moscow Gay Pride, said this morning that the "lawlessness" of Moscow authorities continues: "The ban of Saturday’s event is just more evidence that gays and lesbians are not allowed to conduct any public events in the capital, in any place and with any number of participants. On Saturday, many countries in the world will celebrate the International Day Against Homophobia. We wanted to express our civil position and raise the issue of systematic breaches of our rights by Moscow authorities, but we were again denied to right to do it. The decision concerning this action is currently being discussed. It is possible that it will be conducted in the form of one-man pickets which do not need authorisation according to the current Russian legislation".

The Mayor has previously referred to gay rights marches as "Satanic." The International Day Against Homophobia is celebrated around the world each year on May 17, the day in 1990 the General Assembly of World Health Organization removed homosexuality from the list of psychiatric illnesses. In 1999 Russia adopted the international rules.

pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-7675.html

May 19, 2008

12
To Russia with love: world’s biggest Pride to twin with Moscow

by Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
They could not be more different events. In Sao Paulo, a multitude of toned, tanned gays take to the streets in a carnival atmosphere that happens to be the biggest gay parade in the world. With Brazilian flair, the event has mushroomed in the past decade with estimates of between three and four million revellers on the streets at least year’s Pride. In Moscow, Pride is banned year in and year out, homophobic mobs take to the streets to stop protests about the bans and marching is brave rather than festive. The two worlds have come together with the announcement that Sao Paulo is to ‘twin’ with Moscow Pride.

Associaçao da Parada do Orgulho GLBT (the LGBT Pride Parade Association, APOGLBT), said in a statement: "The presence of Moscow Pride organiser Nicolas Alexeyev will strengthen our fight against homophobia, and for Senate approval of a law criminalising homophobia, We consider that the two Pride Parades are the best examples to homophobia around the world and their organisers and participants represent our best hopes in construction of a world with more justice and respect to the human rights, as well the guarantee of citizenship of LGBT population. We hope this alliance can help them in their local struggle, summing more this support for a better condition in the next Pride Parades."

Sao Paulo Pride Parade will take place on Sunday 25th May. Mr Alexeyev will be flying in from Russia to take part and will be awarded the Pride "Citizen Award for Respecting Diversity" at a ceremony on Thursday.

pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-7688.html

May 20, 2008

13
Publicity is vital claims Russian gay activist

by Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
GayRussia.ru, which describes itself as "the leading LGBT human rights organisation in Russia," has marked its third birthday. "Access to media is key to make the society understand us and accept us," said Nicolas Alexeyev, founder of GayRussia.ru and Moscow Pride organiser.

In a statement he outlined what he sees as the successes of the movement in the past three years. "In 2007, former President Putin answered a question connected to the Moscow Pride," Mr Alexeyev said. "A first for a Russian president. While three years ago, the Russian tabloid papers mostly wrote about gays and lesbians. Today the situation has changed. After the launch of the Moscow Pride, TV, radio and main papers started to write about gays and lesbians. If the coverage is not only positive in a country were freedom of expression is a problem, the coverage is positive on average. No journalist attended our first press conference on May 17, 2005. Last year, our press conference before the second Moscow Pride welcomed around 100 journalists. It was surprising but we managed to have more access to Russian media than the opposition parties. All public actions organised by GayRussia.Ru and forbidden by the Russian authorities have been appealed in Russian courts up and to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg where three cases are being considered. 156 more cases will be started later this year. GayRussia also became the initiator and main organiser of Moscow Pride in 2005. This event opened the wall to LGBT actions in Russian traditional media. The Moscow Prides in 2006 and 2007 generated a considerable attention of foreign media from all countries."

Mr Alexeyev has become a well-know figure in the Russian media, with high-profile protests and legal actions and a knack for generating headlines.

pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-7769.html

May 30, 2008

14
Russian President intervenes over Moscow Pride

by Tony Grew
Gay rights activists plan to hold a small Pride demonstration this Sunday in front of Moscow City Hall. Earlier this week it was revealed that the President of Russia, Dmitriy Medvedev, phoned the Prefecture of the Central Administrative area of Moscow and told him to authorise the gay demonstration. Pride organisers had applied for permission to hold five marches a day, every day of May. All were rejected by Moscow municipal authorities on the grounds they would "endanger public order and cause negative reaction of the majority of the population."

Mr Medvedev’s intervention is significant, and gay rights activist Nicloas Alexeyev claimed: "in case of breach of our constitutional rights not only Moscow but also the federal authorities will be responsible as we asked the Russian President to interfere in this situation." Pride marches in Moscow were banned by the city’s Mayor last year and in 2006. While welcoming news of the President’s actions, organisers said they had no received confirmation of permission for a parade from City Hall.

“We are still hoping for the compromise decision for the conduct of our public event but in the absence of the clear position of the authorities we are forced to announce the forthcoming Sunday as the date of our event," said Mr Alexeyev. "If we receive a proposal from the authorities we will be ready to change the place of the event very fast. The event will be conducted according to the law because the right to marches and pickets is guaranteed to us by the Russian Constitution and legislation in force."

Applications against the ban of Moscow Pride marches in May 2006 and in May 2007 are now in the European Court of Human Rights awaiting consideration.

medindia.net
http://www.medindia.net/news/Moscow-Gays-Valiant-March-in-Defiance-of-Ban-37407-1.htm

May 31, 2008

14a
Moscow Gays’ Valiant March in Defiance of Ban

(AFP) A Russian gay rights organisation vowed on Friday to press ahead with plans for an annual gay pride demonstration this weekend despite a ban by the Moscow mayor. "We plan to gather on Sunday in front of the Moscow mayor’s office. We’re ready to accept another place if the authorities propose one," Nikolai Alexeyev, leader of the Gay Russia organisation, told AFP.

Mayor Yury Luzhkov — who last year described gay parades as "Satan’s work" — has repeatedly refused permission for such events. For two years in a row the unauthorised annual demonstration has descended into violence, with participants punched and kicked by far-right youths. Luzhkov’s stance has been criticised by the mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoe, who is himself openly gay. Ahead of this Sunday’s march the Paris mayor sent a letter to Alexeyev voicing his "absolute and complete support" and expressing hope that recent statements by Russia’s new president Dmitry Medvedev on the need for greater liberty would apply to homosexuals.

"The insults and attacks committed against your demonstrations are intolerable and I dare to hope that the recent statements of Dmitry Medvedev… concerning progress in ‘liberties’ are applied also in your case," Delanoe said in the letter, seen by AFP.

The International Herald Tribune
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/01/europe/EU-GEN-Russia-Gay-Rights.php

June 1, 2008

15
Gay activists hold small, scattered rally in Moscow as police block off City Hall

Moscow (AP) – Russian gay rights activists held a small, scattered protest in Moscow on Sunday, flouting repeated refusals from city authorities for permission to hold parades or demonstrations. Activists repeatedly have tried to hold parades and rallies in the Russian capital to call attention to gay rights. Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, who has called homosexuality "satanic," has rejected all requests to hold them. On Sunday, about three dozen protesters gathered outside the famed Tchaikovsky music conservatory, chanting "No to Homophobia" and other slogans, organizer Nikolai Alexeyev told Ekho Moskvy radio. Meanwhile, just a few blocks away, hundreds of riot police, journalists and onlookers thronged a square in front of Moscow’s City Hall in anticipation of a larger, promised protest that never materialized. Several people brandished religious icons and crosses and at least one gay rights supporter was assaulted while uniformed police officers stood by and watched.

Activists unfurled a banner from a building by the square reading "Rights For Gays and Lesbians!" and "Take Mayor Luzhkov’s Homophobia to Court" before police pulled it down. An Associated Press photographer saw several people detained by police. Ekho Moskvy said up to 15 people were detained and the Interfax news agency said all were nationalists. A city police duty officer, however, said 13 people were detained in all but they were detained for jaywalking, not connected to the protest. He refused to give his name since he was not authorized to speak to the media.

For the past two years, gay activists have sought permission to publicly mark the date in 1993 when homosexuality was decriminalized, but city officials repeatedly have refused. In 2006, gay activists trying to lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier just outside the Kremlin wall were arrested by riot police and violently harangued by religious and nationalist extremists. Among Russian gays and lesbians, the push for greater visibility has been met with ambivalence and outright opposition in some cases, particularly by gay entrepreneurs and some entertainers.

Kiril Frolov, a leader with the Union of Orthodox Citizens, asserted that Russians’ attitudes toward homosexuality have only gotten harsher. "What is democracy? It is rule of the majority and the majority of people in Russia, civil society in Russia, will never recognize the support of sodomy," he told Ekho Moskvy.

pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-7783.html

June 2, 2008

16
Four arrested after Moscow’s unauthorised Pride demonstrations

by Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
A group of 30 gay activists managed to stage short protests in front of Moscow City Hall and a statue of Tchaikovsky yesterday without being arrested. There followed a farcical game of cat and mouse as police surrounded an apartment where four activists were eventually arrested after hours of siege. They were held overnight and charged with taking part in an unauthorised demonstration and failing to obey police orders. The short demonstrations were planned in order to take the authorities by surprise.

The Mayor of Moscow has called gay rights activists "Satanic" and banned Pride in 2006 and 2007. During the "siege" at the apartment the police eventually broke down the door, after a six hour stand off. Foreign journalists were in contact with the activists in the apartment, and at one point Russian TV conducted an interview through the locked door.

Last week it was revealed that the President of Russia, Dmitriy Medvedev, phoned the Prefecture of the Central Administrative area of Moscow and told him to authorise the gay demonstration. Pride organisers had applied for permission to hold five marches a day, every day of May. All were rejected by Moscow municipal authorities on the grounds they would "endanger public order and cause negative reaction of the majority of the population."

pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-7808.html

June 3, 2008

17
Gay Russian attacks activists for pushing homosexual acceptance

by Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
One of the few openly gay pop stars in Russia has criticised the organisers of Moscow Pride for being too persistent. Performer Boris Moiseyev said gays should not insist on acceptance if society is opposed. The singer, who added that "civilised society should protect everyone, both homosexuals and lesbians," has been targeted by homophobic protests. Last month Russian Vanguard, an ultra-religious monarchist group, picketed a Moiseyev concert in Kaliningrad because he is openly gay.

The extreme nationalist group said it would not target the singer’s fans, as not all of them are gay, but restated its demands that gay sex acts be punished by law. Homosexuality was legalised in Russia in 1993 and since 1999 it is no longer included on the list of mental illnesses. Religious Russians have been at the vanguard of the fight against gay rights in the country. In past years the Mayor of Moscow has refused to allow gay pride marches, referring to them as "Satanic." There was violence in 2007 when homophobic protesters attacked gay rights activists trying to protest against the ban.

This year Pride organisers applied for dozens of permits to march, all of which were refused. Last weekend they managed to outwit the police and protesters by holding two short impromptu demonstrations outside City Hall and a statue of Tchaikovsky. Protesters and police were unable to stop the demonstrations, though four gay activists were arrested after a stand off at an apartment block opposite City Hall where they had unfurled a banner. They have now been released but face charges.

Moscow Pride organiser Nicolas Alexeyev commented: "Boris Moiseyev is known as very close to (former President and current Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir) Putin and the Kremlin. He received an award from Putin. He is used as "an excuse" by the power. His shows are not exactly what we need to show to the Russian society who are the gays and lesbians. Dressed in women’s clothes, he really does not give a positive image of gays and lesbians. The shows of Moiseyev are often targeted by anti gay protesters and religious groups who come to protest in front of the hall where he performs, so, "If society doesn’t accept him as a gay singer, he should not insist.""

gayrussia.ru
http://www.gayrussia.ru/en/news/detail.php?ID=11515

03 June 2008

18
From Russia with Gay Love – Blogging from Moscow Pride

Photos from GayRussia.ru of the demonstration at the Tchaikovsky statue are HERE
TV footage of the demonstration outside Moscow City Hall by gay men and women in Moscow HERE (in Russian).
Two photos HERE

June 2

15:00. Moscow Pride chief organiser Nikolai Alekseev has said: "With the release of the four activists, Moscow Pride is officially over".

14:50. The four gay activists have appeared in court. The judge did adjourned the case until next week and ordered them to be released from custody. The thinking is that the four will, if found guilty, be fined – if a jail sentence was a possibility, they would not have been released.

Around a dozen anti-gay protesters were outside the court, so an operation was mounted to get the four from the court unscathed.

11:00. The four were kept by police in the cells overnight. They are due to appear in court about now.

01:05. Police have changed their mind. The four are still in custody and it looks like they will be held overnight and could be in court later Monday.

00:40. Four activists to be released from police custody. They have been charged with taking part in an unsanctioned demonstration and for not obeying an order from the police. These are "administrative offences" than can lead to up to 15 days imprisonment. The view is that because they were released quickly, they will, if found guilty, be fined. The court hearing has not yet been scheduled.

June 1

23:30. Alexey Davidov, who was briefly detained by the militia (OMON) – see entry for 15:45, has been talking about his treatment while detained. He was in the militia bus and says he was treated well. When told he could leave, he was advised to be careful when leaving, the militia being concerned for his safety. An anti-gay protester also in the bus passed comment to the militia that "these gays are not men". The militia replied with a question: "Did you serve in the military yourself?". No was the reply from the protester. "So don’t say you are a man," the militia replied.

23:20. Most Russian gay websites have suddenly "gone down" and presumably have been blocked. Both GayRussia.ru and Gay.ru are not available, along with other sites. It is not know why they are "down’, but activists in Moscow suspect some form of censorship and even pressure being put on Russian hosting companies.

22:35. The police have confirmed that the owner of the apartment, where the four gay activists were arrested, was not present when entry was forced. They also confirmed that there was no court order for them to force entry. Activists say that the arrest of the four, together with the forcing of the door, were illegal and pledge to take the matter through the court system. Activists went to the Tverskoy Police Station to deliver food and drinks for their colleagues who are being detained. It is still not known about any charges that have been brought against the four.

21:41: The four activists have been arrested and taken to Tverskoy Police Station. The head of the police is reported to have asked one of the activists if he thought it "was normal to organise all that". The activist replied that "the fight is only starting – you did not leave us any choice".

21:22. Police have just forced the door open

21:20. German MP Volker Beck has told activists that the German Embassy is speaking to the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry to express "their deep concern" at the siege

20:14. Police are threatening the four activists they have under siege that they will plant drugs when they eventually get it – and then arrest the four for drug dealing, the activists are saying.

20:01. Someone saying he is from the prosecutors office has arrived at the apartment and has demanded that the door is opened.

19:55: Police are reported to be trying to gain access to the apartment by forcing their way in. The four activists say "there is light coming through the keyhole". They also report that the police are carrying out their forced entry siltently.

19:00. Volker Beck, the openly gay German MP and Green Party whip, has issued a statement. Mr. Beck is a "veteran" of Moscow Pride – he suffered cuts to the head in Moscow in 2006. "I just called my foreign office to ask them for help and assistance for the four people in the apartment," he said by email to UK Gay News.

"I ask the Russian Authorities to respect their own laws and constitution, and the freedoms of their citizens guaranteed by the European Human Rights Convention. Gays and lesbians enjoy the same rights and fundamental freedoms as anybody else. This should be accepted also by Russian courts and administration."

18:00. Police allowed Interfax and RTR (the main TV channel in Russia) access into the building, where the four activists are under siege, to do an interview "through the door".

Kirill Nepomnjaschij. who is supervising the operations inside the apartment with the three other activists, reported by telephone the gist of the interview:

How long are you going to stay there, the journalists asked? Do you have food ?

Well, we are not going to beat the record of the blockade of Leningrad but we will stay. We have food here and everything, Kirill Nepomnjaschij replied.

Then addressing the police through the door he said that if they were looking for Nikolai Alekseev, he is not here. You will not arrest him.

17:20. Most of the gay activists who took part today are celebrating a "victory" with a party at a secret location. But they are concerned over their four comrades who are still under siege in the apartment. The latest news is that the police are reported to have cut off the electrical suppy to the entire building.

16:40. The four activists are still trapped in the flat. But they are reporting that they are fine. Russian news agency Interfax reported a few minutes ago that the apartment door is heavily damaged, but is still secure.

15:45. Alexey Davidov, who was arrested by the police in front the city hall while fighting with anti gay protesters, was later released from the police bus. Police did not take him to the police station, and they did not check his documents. So, as of now, no gay activist has been officially arrested. It remains unclear if the police will try to enter the apartment and arrest the four people there

15:20: Nothing further has been heard from Moscow. Pictures are now being sent.

14:30. Russian media is reporting that gay rights defenders succeeded in organising a Gay Pride in Moscow.

14:10: Four gay activists are trapped in the apartment block. Three uniformed police officers with two, presumably, plain-clothed officers, are still trying to break-down the door.

14:00. Police prevent reporters from getting into apartment building. Activists trapped in apartment, but are being interviewed over the telephone. AFP lead the foreign press pack. Nikolai Alexeyev tells press that it is a blow for the Mayor that he was not able to prevent the banner being displayed in front of City Hall for the world to see.

3:55. Nikolai Alexeyev reports: “We have called the foreign media to let them know that the police are trying to breakdown the apartment door.”

13:53. Activist Alexey Davydov has been arrested. He was in some sort of a fight with anti-gay protesters

13:45: Police are trying to break the door of the apartment where the activists are. Without a court order, this is a breach of private property – and illegal.

13:35: The action was over ten minutes ago. Nikolai Alexeyev reports: “The Police Chief arrived to witness his incompetence in being able to prevent out two actions.”

13:30. Anti-gay protesters and police are bewildered. They don’t know where the gay demonstrators are! 250 balloons have been released and are now flying over Moscow.

13:25: Nikolai Alexeyev reports: “As we told our people our plan beforehand, there are no gays on the square opposite City Hall. We are all safe in the apartment.”

13:20: Activists unfurl a six metre banner in front of City Hall. The banner, displayed on a second floor apartment across the street read: .“Rights to gays and lesbians – homophobia of mayor Luzhkov to be prosecuted”.

13:15: Second “action” in front of City Hall started five minutes ago.

13:05: No one was arrested at the Tchaikovsky statue. Picket lasted for ten minutes .. there were chants of “Tchaikovsky was also gay”, “no to homophobes” and “equal rights for LGBT”. A police car arrived five minutes after the demonstration started. The police informed the OMON, but was too late as the location is not too easy to reach by car.

13:00. Moscow police and OMON have been fooled. Nikolai Alexeyev reports: “Gay picket at Moscow took place fifteen minutes ago in front of the Tchaikovsky statue. Police were not there.”

There were 35 people on the demonstration …they unveiled a banner and flag. There were journalist present …

12:15. Nikolai Alexeyev reports: “Kurt Krickler from HOSI Wien, the Austrian LGBT organisation is with me, with a few journalists. Kurt is a veteran of Moscow Pride .. he came in 2006 and 2007 when he was severely beaten. We are already discussing about next year when our march will be at the same time than the Eurovision Song Contest.”

12:10. The OMON (anti riot police) are positioned all along Tversakaya Street. The place in front of the City Hall where we planed to meet is, like last year blocked, by fences. Five buses of OMON are parked on the square. Other buses are parked in key access road to Tverskaya.

12:00. One hour to go … Everything is going as planned.

11:30: The Nationalist group RONS, who attacked Moscow Pride in both 2006 and 2007 is said to be meeting at Metro Puschkinskaya, located on the Puschkin Square, at 1pm.. This square is a 5minute walk from the City Yall. Yesterday, several groups hosted an authorised picket asking to release political prisoners. The place is also famous for having the first McDonalds in Moscow. Moscow was so curious to go there that customers were queuing for hours all around the square. It was long, long ago.

11:00. Nikolai Alexeyev reports: “Three policemen have just tried to arrest me. They did not succeed as I managed to escape in a car. I phoned the radio station Echos Moscow and they reported the bungled arrest attempt. Cat and mouse game continues … Arresting leaders of demonstrations before the event is not something new in Russia. This was inherited from the Soviet time.”

Police tactics are that they either arrest before or just when a demonstration leader arrives for the event. In the last two years, they only had the second option for Alexeyev.

10:30. The Russian media is reporting that Moscow Gay Pride is happening today at 13:00 outside City Hall. Also reporting that there have been calls for the criminal prosecution of the Moscow Mayor.

10:00. Nikolai Alexeyev reports: “At this time last year on Pride day, the hotel where we gathered with the foreign politicians before to go to the city hall was surrounded by police and secret services. They tried to prevent us to go out by asking for our documents but one of my colleagues, Sergey Konstantinov, who knows the laws by heart managed to get rid of this police control. This year it’s more difficult. There is no press conference, no conference venue, no meeting point before … hard for the police to find anything out in advance!”

09:00. Nikolai Alexeyev reports: “Just left home — and I am already followed by a guy …. Most probably secret services. The guy is not too good at his job and I manage to escape from his surveillance. I am now calling Interfax and Radio Echo Moskvi to report it. He might loose his pitiful job as he failed …at doing it well.”

May 31

20:00: Well, less than 18 hours to go! We have just seen an AFP news agency report headlined: “Moscow Gays’ Valiant March in Defiance of Ban”. Good to know that the mainstream media is taking notice of tomorrow’s action for our basic human rights.

The mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoe, is quoted by the agency as saying in a message of support to Nikolai, our main organiser: “The insults and attacks committed against your demonstrations are intolerable and I dare to hope that the recent statements of Dmitry Medvedev… concerning progress in ‘liberties’ are applied also in your case,” Delanoe said in the letter, seen by AFP.

pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-8182.html

July 1, 2008

19
Gays write to Russian president about governor’s homophobic outburst

by Stephanie Phillips
Gay rights activists in Russia have written a letter to the President of the Russian Federation in an attempt to put pressure on the government to prosecute the homophobic governor of Tambov. The governor, Oleg Betin, made his offensive comments in an interview with national daily Komsomolskaya Pravda, after the mayor of the city of Tambov was arrested for allegedly kidnapping his 19-year-old gay lover. When asked of his opinion and tolerance of sexual minorities Betin replied: "Tolerance? Like hell. Gay people should be torn. And their pieces should be thrown downwind." Betin also said he is against ‘distortions’ and that it is necessary ‘to clean this nasty herd.’ Representatives of Russia’s LGBT community wrote to the President on yesterday stating that prosecution of the governor is necessary for the protection of their civil rights and to help end discrimination against sexual minorities.

In the letter they said: "LGBT Rights movement consider inadmissible this kind of statement from the lips of the official, governing the subject of the Russian Federation. People of homosexual orientation are full rights citizens of the Russian Federation, and so, such appeals to violent punishment above citizens of Russia, not only break the criminal code of the Russian Federation, but also the Constitution of Russia."

Although the group have taken action a response does not look likely as the president, Dmitriy Medvedev, does not have a good record for responding to letters from the LGBT community. Organisers of Moscow’s Pride event, which has been banned by the city for several years, started legal proceedings against the president after he failed to respond to letter asking him to intervene. The group claim that Medvedev’s failure to respond to a letter sent to him in may breaks a law that guarantees citizens a reply within 30 days.

pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-8283.html

July 8, 2008

20
Court rules Russia’s President is immune from gay legal action

by Stephanie Phillips
Organisers of Moscow’s Pride event have been told their complaint against the President of Russia will not be considered because he is immune from legal action. They claimed that Dmitriy Medvedev’s failure to answer a letter sent to him in May asking him to intervene broke a law that guarantees citizens a response within 30 days. A Judge at Tverskoi District Court referred to a number of articles in the Russian Constitution including Article 91, which states that the President has immunity from any legal actions, in dismissing their claim. Moscow Pride organisers were denied permission for a series of marches in May by the city authorities. They appealed to the President to allow a march to take place in Alexander’s Gardens (Alexandrovsky Sad) located between the Kremlin and Manezhnaya Street, which is under the authority of the President, on 31st May. Their letter reached the President’s administration on 16th May and was forwarded five days later to the Prefecture of the Central Administrative Area of Moscow. The Presidential Administration relied on the law that allowed them to forward the letter to the most competent authority.

Organisers took their case to court on the 23rd June when they received no reply after 30 days. "We are going to appeal this decision of Tverskoi District Court in Moscow City Court and take this case up to the European Court of Human Rights if needed," said Nicolas Alexeyev, Pride organiser. "We were denied court protection which contradicts with the European Convention on Human Rights. By issuing such a decision the court admitted full immunity of the head of state and his full unaccountability for the actions and inactions. Now the President is not obliged to answer to any letters of Russian citizens, he can just ignore them. The President quite possibly did not know anything about our letter to him though we, as applicants, are not obliged to understand how bureaucratic procedures of Kremlin administration work."

Even though the Court recognised that the Constitution says that "everyone is equal before the law and court," they came to the conclusion that a few people, including the President, are still protected by immunity. "Our letter was addressed to the President and that is the reason why we apply to court against the President," said Mr Alexeyev. "Presidential administration officials probably again wanted to put all responsibility on Moscow authorities, but in this case representatives of the Prefecture acted in accordance with their powers and sent the letter back to the Administration. Only the President has powers to allow the events in Alexandrovsky Sad. We applied to Dmitriy Medvedev as a safeguard of the Constitution because Moscow authorities unlawfully denied us our constitutional right to freedom of assembly enshrined in Article 31 of the Constitution. It’s a pity that the President, even though he proclaimed that he would fight for human rights, did not interfere and put an end to the unlawful actions of Moscow officials."

A group of 30 gay activists managed to stage short protests in front of Moscow City Hall and a statue of Tchaikovsky on June 1st without being arrested. There followed a farcical game of cat and mouse as police surrounded an apartment where four activists were eventually arrested after hours of siege. They were held overnight and charged with taking part in an unauthorised demonstration and failing to obey police orders. The short demonstrations were planned in order to take the authorities by surprise.

The Mayor of Moscow has called gay rights activists "Satanic" and banned Pride in 2006 and 2007. Pride organisers had applied for permission to hold five marches a day, every day of May. All were rejected by Moscow municipal authorities on the grounds they would "endanger public order and cause negative reaction of the majority of the population." Last month Tverskoi District Court of Moscow held that the ban on one of those Pride marches was lawful. Organisers are again planning to appeal the decision in Moscow City Court and then at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-8310.html

July 10, 2008

21
Moscow’s Mayor will not face court over Pride bans

by Stephanie Phillips
The organisers of Moscow Pride were officially informed today that a criminal case against the homophobic Mayor of Moscow, who banned the event, would not be opened. Moscow Prosecution Department told organisers that Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, who previously referred to gay rights marches as "Satanic," would not be prosecuted. "We are not surprised by the conclusions of the prosecution department and its denial to start a criminal investigation against the Mayor," said gay rights activist and Pride organiser Nicolas Alexeyev. We will thoroughly study the document which we received today and will decide whether to appeal it in courts."

Moscow Pride organisers were denied the right to hold an event in May for three years running by the Mayor. They wrote to the General Prosecution Department asking for a criminal investigation into the bans. Organisers also tried to sue the President when they received no response to a letter sent to him about Moscow Pride but a court found that he was immune from legal action. Tverskoi District Court and Moscow City Court are now considering the bans on this year’s Pride marches. Activists tried to have the Mayor prosecuted under Article 149 of the Russian Criminal Code for using his political power to prevent legal public events for the LGBT community in the city.

"The prosecutors did not investigate whether Moscow Mayor breached Article 149 of Russian Criminal Code," said Mr Alexeyev. "The Mayor actually banned all public events of homosexual people in Moscow, depriving a huge social group of their constitutional right to express their views." Mr Alexeyev also said that the Moscow authorities have not allowed other public events to take place because it would bring attention to the problem of homophobia in Russia.

The Prefecture of the Central Administrative Area of Moscow banned collective picketing outside the office of General Prosecution, due to security concerns. Mr Alexeyev took part in a solitary protest outside the offices. He held a placard that read ‘No one repealed Article 149 of Criminal Code yet’ and ‘Homophobia of Moscow mayor should be prosecuted’ and demanded a criminal investigation into the Mayor’s decisions and actions.

pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-8348.html

July 14, 2008

22
Moscow bans demonstration outside Iranian embassy

by Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
Gay rights activists in Russia have been denied permission to protest outside Iran’s embassy in Moscow. Similar pickets were approved in 2006 and 2007 and passed off without incident. Today the Prefecture of the Central Administrative Area of Moscow denied permission for a demo this Saturday, on the grounds of security. For the last few years protests against executions in Iran have taken place across the world on 19th July. It is the anniversary of the public hanging in 2005 of two teenagers accused of homosexual acts.

Mahmoud Asgari, 15 and Ayaz Marhoni, 17, from Khuzestan province, were witnessed engaging in homosexual activities in a semi-public area and were hanged for perverting Islamic law. The National Council of Resistance in Iran issued a press release in 2005 which stated, "the victims were charged with disrupting public order among other things."= Islamic law states that all sexual acts outside of a heterosexual marriage are forbidden and punishable.

"The Moscow authorities once again breached the Russian Constitution and Russian legislation on public events," said protest organiser Nicolas Alexeyev. "Without any reasons they banned another action of sexual minorities and deprived them of their right to protest. This time it is more than obvious that the denial to conduct the picketing was fully discriminatory on the basis of sexual orientation. We applied to the Prefecture with the identical notification to the ones we used in the last two years adding one word. Before we said that we were protesting against executions of minors and this time we said that we will protest against executions of minors and homosexuals. This was enough for the authorities to ban the event." Moscow Pride has been banned every year since 2006, and the Mayor of the city called gay rights protesters "Satanic." Organisers are to fight the bans in the European Court of Human Rights.

Last year protests against the hanging of the two gay teenagers were held in Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Frankfurt, London, Marseilles, Mexico City, Moscow, New York, Provincetown, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Sioux Falls, Stockholm, Tehran, Toronto, Vancouver, Vienna, Warsaw and Washington DC.

pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-8447.html

July 22, 2008

23
Activists plan next Moscow Pride on day of Eurovision final

by Tony Grew
Despite bans on the event every year, the organisers of Moscow Pride have announced their plans for 2009. Russia won the Eurovision Song Contest earlier this year for the first time, and it was announced yesterday that next year’s final will be held on May 16th at Moscow’s Olympiyskiy stadium. "We will conduct the gay pride on the day of the Eurovision final," organiser Nicolas Alexeyev told the Interfax news agency "As usual we will notify Moscow authorities about the conduct of the event."

Last week Pride activists said they would be holding an international conference dedicated to the International Day Against Homophobia on 17 May. They intend to invite the Mayors of Paris and Berlin, who are gay, and the Mayor of London, who is not. "Russia must show that it is part of the civilised world, of the European family, that it is tolerant and that it is possible to conduct public actions of sexual minorities in Moscow," said Mr Alexeyev.

The Mayor of Moscow has called gay rights activists "Satanic" and banned Pride in 2006 and 2007. This year Pride organisers applied for permission to hold five marches a day, every day of May. All were rejected by Moscow municipal authorities on the grounds they would "endanger public order and cause negative reaction of the majority of the population."

On June 1st a group of 30 gay activists managed to stage short protests in front of Moscow City Hall and a statue of Tchaikovsky yesterday without being arrested. There followed a farcical game of cat and mouse as police surrounded an apartment where four activists were eventually arrested after hours of siege. They were held overnight and charged with taking part in an unauthorised demonstration and failing to obey police orders. The short demonstrations were planned in order to take the authorities by surprise.

pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9189.html

October 3, 2008

24
Organisers claim homophobic fire department closed gay festival

by Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
A gay and lesbian film festival which was supposed to open in St Petersburg yesterday has been thrown into disarray after city fire inspectors ruled the venues were not suitable.

The ‘Bok o Bok’ (Side by Side) festival has attracted homophobic comments from leading intellectuals in the country. The state Cinema House and in the private cinema PIK both agreed to screen films and then withdrew. Organisers were going to show films in two nightclubs, but they have been ruled unacceptable venues by the fire authorities. The entire festival, which was supposed to run until Sunday, is now unlikely to go ahead.

Russian gay activist Nicolas Alexeyev said: "Russian authorities continue their policy of homophobia and arbitrary unlawful actions by preventing events organized behind closed doors in private places. From the very first day I supported the conduct of this film festival in Saint Petersburg but already in February I expressed my fears that the authorities will stop the event on technical reasons at the very last minute. The only major LGBT event that could be organised over the last years in Russia are the May 2006 and May 2007 LGBT conference that where held during the Moscow Pride Festival at the Moscow Swissotel. And still, it is only because we booked conference rooms in a local five star hotel belonging to foreign interests that authorities were not able to play the same game with us."

Conservatives within the country’s artistic community had called for the film festival to be banned. The State Artist of Russia Nikolai Burlyaev publicly called gay people "perverts" and homosexuality a "sin" and an "illness" and demanded St Petersburg authorities stop the event.

pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9546.html

November 11, 2008

25
Moscow assures gays they will be safe at Eurovision

by Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
A leading Russian gay rights activist has accused the Moscow authorities of "pure hypocrisy" after an official gave assurances about the safety of gay people attending next year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

Sergei Ananov, the deputy head of the Moscow committee on tourism, said at a press briefing at the World Travel Market 2008 in London: "Moscow is known for the respect of people of different religious beliefs as well as expressions of their nature. Until people respect public order and do not thrust their opinions on those who surround them in a manner that does not contradicts the law, such opinions will not be criticised."

Gay rights marches have been repeatedly banned in Moscow. Russia won the Eurovision Song Contest earlier this year for the first time. Next year’s final will be held on May 16th at Moscow’s Olympiyskiy stadium. Gay activists have already said that the fourth Gay Pride in the Russian capital will take place on the day of Eurovision final. The Mayor of Moscow has called gay rights activists "Satanic" and banned Pride in 2006 and 2007.

This year Pride organisers applied for permission to hold five marches a day, every day of May. All were rejected by Moscow municipal authorities on the grounds they would "endanger public order and cause negative reaction of the majority of the population." On June 1st a group of 30 gay activists managed to stage short protests in front of Moscow City Hall and a statue of Tchaikovsky yesterday without being arrested. There followed a farcical game of cat and mouse as police surrounded an apartment where four activists were eventually arrested after hours of siege. They were held overnight and charged with taking part in an unauthorised demonstration and failing to obey police orders.

Nicolas Alexeyev, one of the organisers of Moscow Pride said: "For three years Moscow authorities made statements that they are unable to provide the security of gays and lesbians wishing to express their views. This time, they have nothing to do than to provide guarantees of security for the international contest which is especially popular among homosexual people. I don’t understand what Mr. Ananov meant when he talked about the thrusting of homosexual opinions on others in a form that does not contradict the law. All our public actions have always been planned as human rights actions to attract the attention of Russian authorities to the current discrimination of sexual minorities in the society and the need to look for the solutions of this social problem by legislative means."

pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9603.html

November 18, 2008

26
Gay rights groups in Belarus and Russia have agreed to hold an annual Slavic Pride event.

Organisers said there is good reason for Russian and Belarusian gays and lesbians to work together. In 1996 Russia and Belarus entered into the Commonwealth of Russia and Belarus, with member nations retaining sovereignty. The Union includes a joint Parliament, a rotating head of State, visa and custom free regime as well as other economic agreements on taxes and residence rights. Activists from GayRussia.Ru and the Moscow Pride organising committee met for the first time with Belarusian groups Gay.by and Gayby.by, the Belarusian Initiative for Sexual and Gender Equality and the LGBT Rights Committee of the Belarusian Green Party last weekend.

"We were looking to cooperate with Belarusian gay activists this year, but until recently we believed that local activists were not yet ready for public events," said Moscow Pride organiser Nicolas Alexeyev. "The turning point was last month when 20 activists took the streets of Minsk to hold an informal –and unsanctioned – gay march. This was the signal for us."

The agreement will mean that Moscow Pride, which has been banned every year since May 2006, will become the Slavic Gay Pride. Belarusian activists will travel to Moscow next year to join the march on Saturday May 16th, the day of the Eurovision Song Contest final.

pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9603.html

27
Slavic Gay Pride will unite Belarusian and Russian activists

by Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
Russia won the Eurovision Song Contest earlier this year for the first time.

"In 2010, we will attempt to organise the Pride in Minsk – it will be our turn to host the event," said Sergey Androsenko, leader of the Belarusian Initiative for Sexual and Gender Equality. Mr. Androsenko said that the Russian group had succeeded in raising attention towards gays and lesbians in Russia in the last three years. "In general, we have a lot to learn from activists from other countries. No one ever come to Belarus. The destination is not appealing for foreigners."

With Belarus currently expelled from the Council of Europe, gay men and women are not protected by the European Convention on Human Rights. Sergei Ananov, the deputy head of the Moscow committee on tourism, said at a press briefing at the World Travel Market 2008 last week that gays visiting for Eurovision would be safe.

"Moscow is known for the respect of people of different religious beliefs as well as expressions of their nature," he claimed. "Until people respect public order and do not thrust their opinions on those who surround them in a manner that does not contradicts the law, such opinions will not be criticised."

Gay rights marches have been repeatedly banned in Moscow. Gay activists have already said that the fourth Gay Pride in the Russian capital will take place on the day of Eurovision final. The Mayor of Moscow has called gay rights activists "Satanic" and banned Pride in 2006 and 2007. This year Pride organisers applied for permission to hold five marches a day, every day of May.

All were rejected by Moscow municipal authorities on the grounds they would "endanger public order and cause negative reaction of the majority of the population." On June 1st a group of 30 gay activists managed to stage short protests in front of Moscow City Hall and a statue of Tchaikovsky without being arrested.

pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9680.html

November 26, 2008

28
Russian Orthodox ‘vigilante groups’ worry gay rights activists

by Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
From next month religiously-motivated gangs will be on the streets of Moscow, assisting police with monitoring "suspicious citizens" and other public order duties. "Orthodox groups can put things in order in the place where they live, and through this put things in order in the whole country", said the vice-president of external relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin.

He said that public order, "is not only police business, it should be business of all people. If people take it partly in their hands the order will be induced much faster." LGBTnews.ru reports that "the leader of the Moscow department "of the union of Orthodox citizens," Cyril Frolov, stated only two days ago that the first Orthodox guard will appear on the streets on December 1." Gay rights marches are banned in Moscow, and the Mayor has called gay people ‘Satanic.’ Russian Orthodox leaders have been vocal in their prejudice against gay people.

In June Father Chaplin, in an interview with newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda, said that gay people who say they are happy are lying. In January his boss, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, said that not viewing homosexuality as a sin will lead to a variety of other sexual perversions.

In a statement issued in August 2000, he explained that globalisation would inevitably lead to the kingdom of the anti-Christ and that it was the Russian Orthodox Church’s role to defend Russian nationality and religious identity. Vyacheslav Revin, the co-coordinator of the Movement for the Rights of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transsexuals in Russia, criticised the "peace officers" initiative.

"There is no lawful basis for such teams in Russia," he said. "Moreover in the law it is obviously specified who has rights for those actions which combatants wish to make. There are some examples when similar teams have been created, and quite successfully operated in one of the European countries in the last century. The teams were called Chernorubashechniki (Blackshirts), and were created in the mid-1930s in Germany. These teams played one of key roles in the establishment of the fascist regime and were useful for Hitler.

"If representatives of the LGBT community start to suffer from such teams it can destabilise not just the situation but also can blow up public law and order." LGBT activists regularly face intimidation and violence from far right groups who see the LGBT community as a ‘threat’ to Russia’s national security.

In May an Amnesty International spokesman told PinkNews.co.uk: "Amnesty has serious concerns about the Russian government’s treatment of LGBT rights. We’ve had numerous homophobic attacks in Russia, some of them fatal. The authorities have failed to tackle discrimination because of sexual orientation." Homosexuality was legalised in Russia in 1993 and since 1999 it is no longer included on the list of mental illnesses.

Daily Queer News
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/news/3260/

November 26, 2008

29
Asylum for a Gay Man from Russia: Immigration Equality

Pro bono attorneys at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP won asylum for 22-year-old “Nikolay,” a gay man who feared abuse and mistreatment in Russia. From an early age, Nikolay was harassed because he was perceived as effeminate. As he got older, classmates regularly attacked him because they assumed that he was gay. In the summer of 2005, Nikolay and two gay friends were arrested by police, specifically targeted because they were seen as too effeminate. Shortly thereafter, Nikolay fled to New York through a study-abroad program. After a fellow Russian student outed him to his friends and family, Nikolay knew he could never return home. Nikolay was also terrified of being forced into his pending mandatory military service in the Russian army, as recruits are notorious for attacking and even murdering gay soldiers.

In July 2008, Nikolay found Immigration Equality, and we placed his case with pro bono attorneys at Milbank. According to lead attorney Sofia Khan, Nikolay “had already been harassed, beaten and arrested in Russia because he was gay. When I met him, he just wanted to live a free and happy life with his boyfriend . . . It was such a great feeling to be able to help [him] start his life here in the United States, not having to hide who he is and live in fear.” Immigration Equality is thankful to Sofia and all of the Milbank staff who worked on Nikolay’s case. Thanks to their efforts, Nikolay no longer has to live in fear of abuse.

Help make asylum possible for more LGBT and HIV-positive people by making a donation today.

pinknews.co.uk
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9818.html

December 10, 2008

30
Mayor of Moscow’s message to gay Eurovision fans – stay off the streets

by Tony Grew
The Mayor of Moscow has used a Eurovision Song Contest ceremony to warn gay people visiting the city for the event next year that they are not welcome on the streets. Yuri Luzhkov was receiving a set of symbolic keys from the Mayor of Belgrade, Dragan Dilas, in recognition of Russia’s success at this year’s Eurovision in Serbia. The winning country usually hosts the contest the following year.

Speaking at a press conference after the ceremony the Mayor, who has banned every gay rights march in Moscow since 2005, gave some advice to gay people coming to the city for Eurovision: "Entertain yourself, no problem, but not on the streets, squares, marches and demonstrations. We never introduced any limitations in their respect except public actions. We do not allow gay parades."

Moscow Pride organisers are confident that after years of bans, the eyes of the world on Russia may mean they can finally march. Russian and Belarussian activists are planning a Slavic Pride event in Moscow to coincide with the Eurovision final on May 16th. The semi-finals will be held on May 12th and 14th.

"Gay Pride public action during the final of Eurovision will take place in any circumstances," said Moscow Pride organiser Nicolas Alexeyev. We are not going to surrender our right to freedom of assembly and expression because it is given to us not by Mayor Luzhkov but by the Constitution of this country. I will be shocked if these words from Moscow’s Mayor do not lead to any reaction from the General Secretary of the Council of Europe and Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe. I can not believe that officials in Strasbourg will continue to silently accept these and future breaches of the European Convention on the part of Russian officials.

"The time for press releases and statements is over. It is time for effective action. The European Convention and its interpretation by the European Court of Human Rights are very clear that we have the right to peaceful assembly. Those who do not agree with that should be the ones responsible." Mr Alexeyev said he would also push for the EU to ban Mr Luzhkov from travelling to member states.

Speaking at an international conference on HIV/AIDS earlier this month, Mayor Luzhkov said: "So-called democrats consider that sexual minorities can be the main indicator and main symbol of democracy, but we will in future continue to ban propaganda of the views of sexual minorities. Of course, we will be criticised by all democrats in the world but in each society there are own views on that."

The Mayor implied gays are behind the spread of AIDS in Moscow and said condoms should not be advertised as 100% safe as "contemporary science" proved they are not. He has previously referred to gay rights marches as "Satanic." Activists have tried to have the Mayor prosecuted under Article 149 of the Russian Criminal Code for using his political power to prevent legal public events for the LGBT community in the city. Moscow Pride organisers have various lawsuits pending at the European Court of Human Rights contesting the legality of the bans.

gayrussia.ru
http://www.gayrussia.ru/en/news/detail.php?ID=12608

10 December 2008

31
Moscow Mayor Publicly Admits He Limited the Right of Sexual Minorities to Freedom of Expression: He offers homosexuals to “entertain themselves” but “not on the streets, squares, marches and demonstrations”

According to Interfax news agency, Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov said on Wednesday 10 December during press conference after the ceremony of handing over symbolic keys to Eurovision song contest in Moscow that representatives of sexual minorities, as any other people, can freely come to Moscow to “Eurovision-2009”, though he warned them not to go any further than “entertainment”. According to Moscow Mayor, “the law of 1993 does not prosecute sexual minorities, they are free. We do not allow gay parades. When we talk about inclinations of sexual minorities, it’s ok, realize your interests as you like”.

Yuri Luzhkov who banned human rights marches of gay prides in Russia’s capital for three years and is considered one of the most homophobic politicians in Russia, said that Moscow authorities will continue to ban public actions of sexual minorities. He stressed: “Entertain yourself, no problem, but not on the streets, squares, marches and demonstrations. We never introduced any limitations in their respect except public actions”.

Organiser of Moscow Gay Pride Nikolai Alekseev immediately reacted to the words of Moscow Mayor confirming that “Gay Pride public action during the final of Eurovision will take place in any circumstances. We are not going to surrender our right to freedom of assembly and expression because it is given to us not by Mayor Luzhkov but by the Constitution on this country”. Nikolai Alekseev said that “I will be shocked if these words of Moscow Mayor do not lead to any reaction from the General Secretary of the Council of Europe and Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe. I can not believe that officials in Strasbourg will continue to silently accept these and future breaches of the European Convention on the part of Russian officials”.

According to Moscow Pride organizer, “the time of press-releases and statements is over. It is time for effective actions. European Convention and its interpretation by the European Court of Human Rights are very clear that we have the right to peaceful assembly. Those, who do not agree with that, should be the ones responsible”. Nikolai Alekseev said that “it is very dangerous for Moscow Mayor to travel to those European capitals where gays can freely organize their public events on the streets. We are going to solve this problem for him and put an issue of the ban on his travels to EU countries in the European Parliament”.

Press conference on Wednesday took place after the ceremony of handing over the keys of Eurovision with the participation of Mr. Luzhkov and the Mayor of Belgrade Dragan Dilas. For the first time such ceremony took place in Belgrade and was offered in 2007 by Helsinki. The ceremony took place in the famous Moscow shop “GUM” located at the Red Square.

Eurovision Song contest will take place in Moscow in May next year thanks to the Russian singer Dima Bilan who won the contest in Belgrade in May. Semi finals are scheduled for 12 and 14 May and the final will take place on 16 May. The same day Russian and Belarusian gay activists are planning to hold their Slavic Pride in Moscow.

gayrussia.ru
http://www.gayrussia.ru/en/news/detail.php?ID=12643

16 December 2008

32
An Attempt to Restore the Memory of Soviet Gays When Today Russian Gays Are Still Persecuted

by Russian gay activist Alexey Davydov
I recently came across the following initiative in my country: “2009 is named in Russia the year of gay and lesbian victims of political repressions of Soviet times”. The idea is about calling on the Russian government to apologise publicly in front of the sexual minorities who were prosecuted during the Soviet era. At first, it seems quite fair but in fact it is strange that the authors of the initiative ask for a public recognition by a former state (the Soviet Union) of its past mistakes. All this only tends to give the impression that persecutions and prosecution at the highest level of the state are behind us.

Far from it!
Just a week ago, my organisation in Liski planned to organise a demonstration to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Russian Constitution. Basically, a sort of anniversary from when what we can call “Modern Russia” resumed in 1993 with democracy, civil liberties, rights, freedom… Thirty of us were ready to go on the streets of this little provincial city which never saw anything from “Putin’s miraculous economic boom of the last eight years”.

Two days after we applied for permission to hold the march, we were arrested and detained by the local police twice; one of the organisers – and his parents – were seriously threatened by the mayor of the city who said he might be expelled from his school; our contact details were passed to neo-Nazi groups and, last but not least,… our event was banned.

Instead, a march in support of the current regime was organised by the city authorities!
Local schools were asked by the city authorities to send participants. Those who accused us of trying to pervert the local youth forced 200 teens to participate in this local masquerade that equals practice known in North Korea, China or Vietnam.
Yes, I respect the memory of those who suffered tens of years ago. Especially that many heterosexuals were accused of being homosexuals by the Soviet only to be sent far away from the cities where they would not be a threat for the dictatorship.

But I also would like that someone also remembers that today, many people suffer. And I don’t want the current regime to be given an impression of kindness to pay tributes to the victims of the Soviet state, while today it keeps persecuting us! Every day, we fight to end this present persecution that we all, gays and heterosexuals, defenders of civil liberties, face in modern Russia. Before apologising for the bad old day, the Russian authorities should first STOP persecuting us today.

Otherwise, we are running into a nonsense.
Are the authors of the initiative so naïve that they really believe that homophobic authorities will apologies for the decades of persecution which keep going on today? The initiators give reference to the facts that “prosecution of gays and lesbians were based on the presumption that such people should not have any place in our society”. Soviet doctrine considered male homosexuality as “ideologically alien”, politically dangerous and similar to any belief in God in “anti Soviet propaganda”.

Then, what about today?
The only updates are the names of politicians and the way they express themselves, all the rest has not changed. Russian authorities consider homosexuality as “ideologically an alien influence of the West which is not compatible with the plan of Putin”, a dangerous thing, “satanic” in nature. As such, the local administrations use this message to ban any gay public events because “there is no place in our God-blessed country for such people”.

Finally, everything is like in the “”good old times”.
Nothing changed except we are no longer sent to prison and nor to psychiatric clinics. But indeed, if some deputies had a chance, they would for ensure that the old policy of the Soviet past would be returned. In order to establish changes in the law we should have at least a minimum representation of LGBT people in politics. We don’t need closeted deputies like we had in the 90’s and up to 2003. We need open people who can initiate such amendments as we need.

But how? The Kremlin had changed the rules several times, making it impossible for any liberal to reach the State Duma.

Until we have resolved this situation, all statements, letters and initiatives will keep ending up in the trash – after the authorities sent their standard reply. And some will keep proudly showing the replies they keep and say how they marvellously cooperate with the authorities for a smooth change of the society. But everything will remain the same. What I am saying is that, even though the initiative is not bad in itself, it’s quite awkward.

It’s a shame for all of us that since 1993 when article 121 was abolished, 15 years has passed. And only now we understand that no research and no figures of the Soviet persecution exist Worse even talking about the present, there are no statistics available.

Alexey Davydov is an openly gay young man. He was one of those arrested last week in Liski for daring to request permission to stage a march in the city. He was attacked during Moscow Gay Pride last June.

Gay Russia News & Reports 2008

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