Russia, Europe
As of 2011, Russia has no criminal law directed at LGBT people and has refused to enact legislation to address discrimination or harassment on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Public opinion about LGBT topics and people tends to be negative, although there is a visible LGBT community network, including nightclubs and political organizations. In 2010 anti-gay Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov was replaced by another homophobe Sergey Sobyanin who continues to refuse authorizating gay Pride events. As usual attempts to defy the ban and march in public (in 2011) degenerated into violent clashes with anti-gay protestors and as usual police failed to protect gay rights activists. Several were taken to jail but later released. Nevertheless GayRussia continues to resist against repression and inequality.
News & Reports:
- A YouTube interview with a gay Russian young man who was given asylum in Canada:, 2015/Feb/18
- Witness: Beaten For Being Gay In Russia – Andrey’s Story, 2015/Jan/15
- Russia says drivers must not have ‘sex disorders’, 2015/Jan/08
- License To Harm, 2015/Jan/05
- Russia’s gay community in fear as homophobic attacks increase, 2014/Dec/15
- Russian LGBT Couple Says They Hope Their Marriage Will Help Change Attitudes, 2014/Dec/08
- Argentina grants first refugee status to Russian gay, victim of President Putin’s non tolerance policies, 2014/Oct/21
- Director Ben Steele On His New Documentary, ‘Hunted: The War On Gays In Russia’, 2014/Oct/02
- Russia: Film screening about gay teens accused of violating ‘gay propaganda’ laws, 2014/Oct/02
- Russia: Queerfest organisers say police ‘threatened’ venues to shut down, 2014/Oct/01
- Russia gang storm gay festival, release gas, 16 in hospital, 2014/Sep/19
- WHO: Russia’s anti-gay laws hamper fight against HIV, 2014/Sep/16
- Russia: Lesbian dance teacher found murdered with throat slashed, 2014/Sep/15
- Russian gay rights group deemed ‘foreign agent’ for ‘violating straight rights’, 2014/Jul/22
- Russia Year In Review Report, 2014/Jul/20
- Declaration Of Ilan H. Meyer, PH.D., 2014/Jul/20
- Vlad Tornovoi murderers go to jail for 20 years, court ignores antigay motive, 2014/Jul/05
- Russia: Pride rally held in St Petersburg Sunday without violence, 2014/Jul/01
- Thugs attack LGBT activist in Voronezh by night, 2014/Jun/10
- Bryansk official warned on privacy breach of underage lesbian schoolgirl, 2014/Jun/10
- LGBT in Samara – pederasts and paedophiles, 2014/Jun/04
- Michael Lucas’ ‘Campaign Of Hate: Russia And Gay Propaganda’ Examines Anti-LGBT Laws, Sentiment (VIDEO), 2014/Jun/03
- South Urals gay man held hostage by money squeezers to ”cleanse society”, 2014/Jun/03
- Russian LGBT advocates detained during Moscow protests, 2014/Jun/02
- Russian police protect some LGBT activists, harass others, 2014/May/21
- Watch: Russian same-sex couples marry in Copenhagen, 2014/May/08
- Law Enforecment Agencies Chase LGBT-Activistst In Samara For Participation In The Demonstration And Distirbution Of Leaflets, 2014/Apr/28
- Samara LGBT Group Sends ”Death Angels” To Streets Telling People About Antigay Violence, 2014/Apr/07
- Russian LGBT Groups Relaunch Week Of Action Against Homophobia, Biphobia And Transphobia, 2014/Mar/31
- Russia: Moscow’s largest gay club closes after string of vigilante attacks, 2014/Mar/17
- Organizers of First ‘Gay Olympics’ Tell of Harassment, 2014/Feb/28
- Russia: Social network page accused of breaking anti-gay ‘propaganda’ laws acquitted of charges, 2014/Feb/21
- Russia bans foreign gay couples from adopting children, 2014/Feb/13
- In Addressing Olympic Committee, UN Chief Decries Attacks On Gays, 2014/Feb/06
- Channel 4’s Hunted – the Russian gangs who hunt gays for sport, 2014/Feb/05
- Three Russian men found guilty of brutally murdering a 29-year-old man they believed was gay, 2014/Feb/04
- Russian gay expat: No gay people in Sochi? ‘I laugh because I’ve been to Sochi’, 2014/Feb/03
- Russian anti-gay gang violence seen for the first time on camera, 2014/Feb/01
- Russian editor fined 50,000 roubles for printing ‘being gay is normal’, 2014/Jan/30
- The ‘enemy within’: A gay Russian writer talks about homophobia and libel under Putin, 2014/Jan/20
Witness: Beaten For Being Gay In Russia – Andrey’s Story
Despite Russia’s January cold, hundreds of people packed the central square in Voronezh, an eight hour drive south of Moscow, for the planned LGBT rights protest. When Andrey Nasonov arrived, he saw a bus of riot police and several police cars, and quickly realized most of the crowd likely didn’t support LGBT rights. Only a… Read more »
Russia says drivers must not have ‘sex disorders’
Russia has listed transsexual and transgender people among those who will no longer qualify for driving licences. Fetishism, exhibitionism and voyeurism are also included as “mental disorders” now barring people from driving. The government says it is tightening medical controls for drivers because Russia has too many road accidents. “Pathological” gambling and compulsive stealing are… Read more »
License To Harm
Violence and Harassment against LGBT People and Activists in Russia Summary In June 2013 Russia passed a law banning the distribution of information about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) relationships to children. The law effectively legalizes discrimination based on sexual orientation. Its passage coincided with a ratcheting up of homophobic rhetoric in state media… Read more »
Russia’s gay community in fear as homophobic attacks increase
This year’s QueerFest in St Petersburg was the most controversial in the festival’s history. At the opening show, a crowd turned up to intimidate and shout insults, spraying coloured antiseptic from syringes, in a kind of cleansing. There were sudden bomb scares and protests, and venues cancelled events at the last minute. Anti-gay activists plastered… Read more »
Russian LGBT Couple Says They Hope Their Marriage Will Help Change Attitudes
A recently married LGBT couple says that they hope their marriage will help change attitudes in Russia. Alyona Fursova and Irina Shumilova married in front of family and friends at a registry office in St. Petersburg last month. Despite Russia’s ban on gay marriage, the women were allowed to marry because Irina describes herself as… Read more »
Argentina grants first refugee status to Russian gay, victim of President Putin’s non tolerance policies
A young 28 year old became the first Russian gay to be given refugee status by Argentina, because of discrimination and violence at his home country. The positive reply to the year-long request was sponsored by Argentina’s Federation of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and trans, FALGBT. The refugee status was extended by Argentina’s Refugee Committee, Conare,… Read more »
Director Ben Steele On His New Documentary, ‘Hunted: The War On Gays In Russia’
Director Ben Steele dropped by HuffPost Live this week to discuss his new HBO documentary, “Hunted: The War On Gays In Russia.” “Anti-gay attitudes are widespread, unfortunately, in Russia,” he said of the film, which examines Russia’s notorious “gay propaganda” laws. “In Russia, there is no such thing as a gay hate crime.” As for… Read more »
Russia: Film screening about gay teens accused of violating ‘gay propaganda’ laws
Anti-gay activists in Russia have accused the screening of a documentary about gay teens of violating the country’s notorious law “gay propaganda” laws. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the controversy stirred after the Pacific Meridians festival in Vladivostok was accused of selling tickets to the film Delti 404 (Children 404) without issuing proper ID checks.… Read more »
Russia: Queerfest organisers say police ‘threatened’ venues to shut down
Organisers of Queerfest, an LGBT festival in St Petersburg which was attacked with a harmful gas last week, have criticised police for deliberately pressuring venues to shut down ahead of hosting events. The annual LGBT culture festival had been forced out of its original venue last week, and was later raided by homophobic thugs after… Read more »
Russia gang storm gay festival, release gas, 16 in hospital
16 people are in hospital after Vitaly Milonov, as well as some anti-gay thugs, ruined the opening day of a LGBTI event in St Petersburg Sixteen people have been hospitalized after the opening of an LGBTI arts festival in St Petersburg yesterday (18 September). Thugs are alleged to have sprayed ‘green paint’ and to have… Read more »
WHO: Russia’s anti-gay laws hamper fight against HIV
Russia’s “repressive drug and homosexuality laws” hamper its fight against HIV, the World Health Organisation has warned. The country is home to one of the fastest-growing HIV epidemics in the world. Ten years ago, 170,000 people in the Russian Federation were living with HIV. The estimated number now is 1.2 million and Russia accounts for… Read more »
Russia: Lesbian dance teacher found murdered with throat slashed
A lesbian tango instructor in St Petersburg has been found with her throat slashed. Yekaterina Khomenko, 29, was found dead on September 7, in her car in the north of St Petersburg, with a nine-centimeter cut to her neck. The car was damaged and bearing dents, while the vehicle’s lights and engine were still running.… Read more »
Russian gay rights group deemed ‘foreign agent’ for ‘violating straight rights’
An LGBT rights organisation based in Russia has been deemed a “foreign agent” by a St Petersburg court. The label “foreign agent” implies that a group carries out work on behalf of foreign countries, and restricts the work they can do and messages communicated. This week Coming Out, a leading LGBT rights organisation Coming Out,… Read more »
Russia Year In Review Report
Read entire pdf here Source – HRC Articles
Declaration Of Ilan H. Meyer, PH.D.
In The CaseseS Of Bayev V. Russia (NO. 67667/09), Kiselev V. Russia (NO. 44092/12), And Alekseyev V. Russia (NO. 56717/12) I. Qualifications 1. I am a Senior Scholar of Public Policy at the Williams Institute at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) in the United States of America. Prior to my current position, I was… Read more »
Vlad Tornovoi murderers go to jail for 20 years, court ignores antigay motive
Two Volgograd residents who brutally murdered their friend Vlad Tornovoi on May 9, 2013, after he allegedly came out to them as gay, were sentenced to substantial imprisonment terms. The press service of the Volgograd Regional Court confirmed it on July, 2. Earlier this month LGBT activists and their allies drew attention to the absence… Read more »
Russia: Pride rally held in St Petersburg Sunday without violence
Russian news sources report that a peaceful Gay pride parade took place in St Petersburg on Sunday, despite organisers being told to hold the event on a landfill site. The Moscow and St. Petersburg Times reported some two dozen LGBT activists rallied in the Field of Mars square on Sunday to celebrate gay pride. QueerRussia.com… Read more »
Thugs attack LGBT activist in Voronezh by night
On June 3, Pavel Lebedev was attacked by a group of thugs around midnight. “We were sitting with my boyfriend on a bench near his home, when we were approached by an aggressive group of people. One of them asked for a cigarette. I gave him a cigarette . Then he said, “Hey, you’re that… Read more »
Bryansk official warned on privacy breach of underage lesbian schoolgirl
Office of Public Prosecutor passed a resolution that Dyatkovo district administration deputy head Elena Krivtsova has wrongfully disclosed the full name of a 14 year old lesbian schoolgirl to mass media, and thus commited a privacy breach. In February 2014 the girl from Bryansk region was warned by the local Commission on Affairs of Minors… Read more »
LGBT in Samara – pederasts and paedophiles
Aggressive homophobia, harassment and public incomprehension – these are the conditions under which members of Samara’s LGBT community live. In this city of 1.5m, homosexual, bisexual and transgender people are trying to unite to confront the problems they face in today’s Russia. Pederasts and paedophiles For the general public, the words ‘pederast’ and ‘paedophile’ mean… Read more »
Michael Lucas’ ‘Campaign Of Hate: Russia And Gay Propaganda’ Examines Anti-LGBT Laws, Sentiment (VIDEO)
Gay porn mogul Michael Lucas is tackling Russia’s controversial “gay propaganda” laws as part of a new documentary. Lucas teamed up with director Scott Stern for “Campaign of Hate: Russia and Gay Propaganda,” which is currently making the international film festival circuit and is available for purchase on Amazon. “The scapegoats used to be the… Read more »
South Urals gay man held hostage by money squeezers to ”cleanse society”
A criminal case is brought up against a group of five Chelyabinsk college students who used a local gay cruising chat to lure a 25 year old gay man, kidnap, threaten him with a gun and rob. Afterwards the group led the man to a bank forcing him to take a loan, while the victim… Read more »
Russian LGBT advocates detained during Moscow protests
Russian authorities on May 31 detained several people who took part in two LGBT rights demonstrations in Moscow. The Associated Press reported that police arrested two advocates during what the news agency described as an “unsanctioned gay pride demonstration” outside Moscow City Hall. Reuters posted a video to its website that shows a handful of… Read more »
Russian police protect some LGBT activists, harass others
Police in Russia harassed or arrested several LGBT rights activists in connection with the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia on May 17, the Russian LGBT Network reported. But most of the IDAHOT events in 16 Russian cities occurred without disruption. Many of the celebrations were organized as “Rainbow flashmobs” without a public announcement of… Read more »
Watch: Russian same-sex couples marry in Copenhagen
Three Russian same-sex couples have married in Copenhagen, while the city hosts the Eurovision Song Contest. The city had in February announced plans to provide weddings for foreign same-sex couples this week, to mark both Eurovision and 25 years since Denmark’s first civil partnership. Last month it was confirmed that three anonymous Russian couples were… Read more »
Law Enforecment Agencies Chase LGBT-Activistst In Samara For Participation In The Demonstration And Distirbution Of Leaflets
On April 11 LGBT activists from Samara organized a demo devoted to the Day of silence. A week later law enforcement officers started to chase LGBT-activists: as a result, one of the activists was accused of participation in the “unauthorized” demonstration, defiance and distribution of leaflets while using “camouflage”. 5 activists took part in the… Read more »
Samara LGBT Group Sends ”Death Angels” To Streets Telling People About Antigay Violence
An open event organized by Samara social LGBT-movement “Avers” took place on April 6 for the first time this year. Participants of the event named “Death Angels” told Samara residents about the violence LGBT people experience in Samara region. As well as the year before “Death Angels” are people wearing blood-stained clothes who represent unpunished… Read more »
Russian LGBT Groups Relaunch Week Of Action Against Homophobia, Biphobia And Transphobia
Within the “Rainbow dialogue” opening event in Moscow on March, 30 everyone was be able to get acquainted with a diversity of gender and queer identities , communicate with various representatives of the LGBT community and get answers to their questions. The event was disturbed by excessive attention from police, riot squads and by searches… Read more »
Russia: Moscow’s largest gay club closes after string of vigilante attacks
Moscow’s largest gay club will soon close its doors for good, after a string of vigilante attacks, including shootings, violent assaults and the release of poison gas. According to Queerussia, the Central Station club, which is Moscow’s biggest gay club, will shut its doors for good, after owner Andrei Lischinsky resigned as CEO earlier this… Read more »
Organizers of First ‘Gay Olympics’ Tell of Harassment
Days after the closing ceremony of the Sochi Olympics, Russia’s first Open Games for LGBT athletes have been jeopardized by what organizers say is a crackdown that highlights the Russian government’s harsh stance on homosexuality. Organizers of the Russian Open Games — an athletic festival fashioned after the Olympics but intended for the LGBT community… Read more »
Russia: Social network page accused of breaking anti-gay ‘propaganda’ laws acquitted of charges
A woman accused of breaking Russia’s anti-gay “propaganda” laws for setting up a pro-LGBT support page has now been acquitted of charges. Last month, Lena Klimova, founder of the LGBT support group ‘Children-404: We Exist,’ was charged for promoting “unconventional sexual relations among minors, resulting in information aimed at developing juveniles to explore unconventional sexualities”.… Read more »
Russia bans foreign gay couples from adopting children
Russia says it will no longer allow foreign couples to adopt Russian children if their country has same-sex marriage – or if the couples are gay. Russian news agency RIA reports the move will affect countries that traditionally adopt large quantities of Russian orphans, including Spain, France and Canada. The ban will apply to married… Read more »
In Addressing Olympic Committee, UN Chief Decries Attacks On Gays
In an address to members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned discrimination and attacks against LGBT people. “We must all raise our voices against attacks on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex people,” Ban said. “We must oppose the arrests, imprisonments and discriminatory restrictions they face.” The run-up… Read more »
Channel 4’s Hunted – the Russian gangs who hunt gays for sport
A few days before the opening of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, the safety of the Russian gay community is worse than ever. Channel 4’s harrowing new documentary, Hunted, follows the Russian gangs that hunt gay men for sport. Investigative journalist Liz MacKean got inside the St Petersburg branch of Occupy Paedophilia, an anti-gay organisation… Read more »
Three Russian men found guilty of brutally murdering a 29-year-old man they believed was gay
Trio brutally beat and stabbed victim to death in country’s far east region then put his body in a car they doused with gasoline and set on fire Three men in Russia were found guilty on Monday (3 February) of brutally murdering a man because they thought he was gay. They have been sentenced to… Read more »
Russian gay expat: No gay people in Sochi? ‘I laugh because I’ve been to Sochi’
A gay Russian expatriate who sought asylum in the US has spoken out against the Sochi mayor who claimed there are no gay people in his city, saying “I laughed out loud, because I’ve been to Sochi.” In an interview with NYDailyNews, 26-year-old Gleb Vakrushev spoke against Russia’s notorious anti-gay “propaganda” laws, which he said… Read more »
Russian anti-gay gang violence seen for the first time on camera
Forthcoming C4 documentary reveals disturbing methods used by homophobic groups as Olympics near Shocking footage of the violent groups that target gay men and lesbian women in Russia will reveal the dangerous levels of homophobia in the country in the runup to the Sochi Winter Olympics this week. A Channel 4 documentary, Hunted, to be… Read more »
Russian editor fined 50,000 roubles for printing ‘being gay is normal’
A journalist had interviewed a gay geography teacher who had been fired from his position for his sexuality A journalist had interviewed a gay geography teacher who had been fired from his position for his sexuality A Russian editor was fined yesterday (29 January) for printing an interview with a gay teacher who said ‘being… Read more »
The ‘enemy within’: A gay Russian writer talks about homophobia and libel under Putin
“All this noise you guys have been making since the anti-gay law was signed is doing its job.” -Sergey Khazov, writer and journalist In times of crisis, Russia hunts for the enemy within; that’s what Sergey Khazov tells me when I ask him why there is so much anti-gay sentiment in his country. “The recession… Read more »
ADS
