Yikes, Russia! A week after protestors for gay rights were arrested in Moscow, a district court upheld the decision by a Moscow city court to ban gay pride parades for 100 years. Yes, the government can now legally forbid gay pride for a century, from March 2012 to March 2112.
Must Russia always be so epic?
Thankfully activists are already planning to appeal this ridiculously dramatic ruling. From Reuters:
Nikolay Alekseyev, one of the leaders of the Russian LGBT community and organizer of gay pride events, told reporters that he intended to appeal the decision in the Moscow City Court Presidium, and that if the highest Russian instance also rules against him, to address the European Court of Human Rights.
Alekseyev explained to the reporters that in 2011, the activists found a loophole in Russian legislation and submitted requests for 102 gay pride parades to the Moscow Mayor’s office. According to the activist, all they got in return was a letter with a quote from regulations, although the law obliges the city authorities to either allow or ban the planned event within 15 days.
At the same time, Alekseyev admitted that he and his comrades never hoped to actually receive a license for the parade but simply needed a formal excuse to turn to the European Human Rights Court.
“They refuse our requests every time, but in Strasbourg they recognize these rulings as unlawful. But time does not stand still, we ask for a new event and again they refuse us,” the activist noted.
Sadly, when the ban ends, you still won’t have finished reading War and Peace.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Photo: Nikolai Alekseev/Wikipedia
Vladimir
Moscow government didn’t ban all gay prider for 100 years. Alekseev used the hole in the laws and filed the declaration for 100 prides every year. All 100 were turned down. Alexeev(or anyone else) now may organize another gay pride – it will be separate cause and the Moscow officials will have to consider it.
Houston Bill
Sounds like a great time for an Atlantis Cruise to Russia this summer! (sarcasm). By the way, a PRIVATE LGBT film festival was attacked by skinheads in Novosibersk last weekend. The cops refused to protect the festival goers so they had to cancel a PRIVATE event. If I were planning on travelling to Russia this summer, I’d seriously consider changing my plans. http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/mob-halts-russian-gay-film-festival-and-chases-organizers080612
Houston Bill
@Vladimir: Vladamir..I call BS on your comments. There has never been a permit granted to any LGBT group holding a Gay protest of the government in Moscow.
Alekseev has the right, under Article 31 of the Russian Constitution, as well as multiple articles of the European Convention on Human Rights (to which Russia is a Volunatry signatory) to organize a protest. He’s been trying for 7 years now. He has never received a permit to protest the government and societies homophobia anywhere in his national capital. Alekseev was given a permit to protest SwissAir once (but that was also a protest of someone disliked by the United Russia ‘party of crooks and thieves’. Any protest containing the rainbow flag has been denied and usually violently attacked by skinhead thugs who support Kiril and Putin.
The Russian Constitution might as well be written on toilet paper for all the respect it is given by the authorities in Russia.
Under Russian law, if a protest location is denied, the authorities must offer an alternative location and time. Moscow’s authorities have NEVER complied with that law.
Russia has no freedom of speech, petition, protest, association, religion, due process, assembly, or expression for minorities (or those who Kiril doesn’t like). Today’s Putin/Kiril Russia is looking a lot like Brezhnev’s Soviet Russia.
Derek Williams
Russia does not respect the European Court on Human Rights, and does not even adhere to its own constitution guaranteeing freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and individual liberties to every Russian citizen. Its signature on international treaties is a joke.
Ginasf
Again, this is a great time to call for an International boycott of the Sochi Olympics in 2014.
Clockwork
@Ginasf:
>great time to call for an International boycott of the Sochi Olympics in 2014.
So much for Freedom of Assembly in Russia.
I wouldn’t expect an athlete to give up his chance to be an Olympian. Would certainly be many moments at events, press conferences, closing ceremonies, for statements to be made
Branto
FYI, the source you link to is Russia Today (RT), the state owned news outlet, not Reuters.
B
Queerty: “Must Russia always be so epic?” Obviously – just see a few Russian operas. Kovanshchina, Boris Godunov, and Eugene Onegin come to mind.
Alex Sarmiento
This is why I hate Russia and all things Russian. This is why I actively root AGAINST Russia in everything: beauty pageants, sports, etc. To me, Russia has become one of the three big bullies of the world. The other two, of course, are China and the United States of America.
Blah, bla..huh?
“Must Russia always be so epic?” If you see a grovelling authoritarian gesture by someone with sneaky-dick motives towards populist control, then yes. That’s Russia. It’s also the US, and China, as the poster above noted. This is the new “global politics” for the duration. Submit or be liquidated. (that is of course, unless you prefer sabatoge, you freakin’ TERRORIST!!!). The only thing that makes me this queasy is the little things my friends and family do that prove they are as hypocritical and cynical as the people who do these things. “life is cheap” = the new heterosexual paradigm.
Triple S
@Alex Sarmiento: Well, I would prefer not to lump America wit those other two shitholes. They’re not the most perfect place, but they’re a damn sight better than China or Russia!
1equalityUSA
B–“Tie there hands so they can’t form Holy signs!” (Boris Godunov) I don’t know why this is the only line I remember.
lucife
@Alex Sarmiento: There is a growing democratic movement in Russia. I hate my government too, but I would prefer if people were rooting not against Russia, but for democratic changes in Russia. Isn’t it more productive?
Alex Sarmiento
I had more respect for the Russian Federation when Vladimir the Putin neither the President nor the Prime Minister. I’ll start respecting Russia when Putin and his bitches and whores are thrown out of office and never allowed to return to power. It’s not just homophobia: it’s xenophobia, the killing of journalists, them bullying smaller countries. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t even want to learn the Russian language or even eat Russian food or even fuck Russian men. Even the word “Russia” scares me. Just so you know, I’m also scared of China and the United States of America. I’m scared of bullies. I’ve been scared of bullies since I was a kid, and now it’s not just bullies on the street or in school: bullies are now running the world. Before anyone paints me as a dirty American, I’m fucking embarrassed to be an American these days, even with Obama in office. I don’t even root for the Americans at the Olympics. I’m sorry, I’m just so upset with everything these days, even international politics makes me insane.