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 Gay Pride Organizers Appeal To Russian
President
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: May 16, 2008 - 3:30 pm ET
(Moscow) Organizers of a gay pride march appealed
Friday to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to overturn a decision by Mayor Yuri
Lushkov to prohibit the event.
For 12 years Moscow authorities have refused to
allow LGBT groups to march in the capital, citing security concerns.
Pride organizer Nikolai Alexeyev said he is
hopeful Medvedev would intercede. Medvedev, who was inaugurated as Russia's
president earlier this month, hasn't expressed any opinion toward gays and
lesbian publicly.
Alexeyev said activists want to hold the parade
on May 3, the anniversary of the 1993 repeal of criminal laws against
homosexuality.
Meanwhile, Alexeyev said, gay leaders are
proceeding with a complaint against Lushkov's ban at the European Court for
Human Rights. The court has not ruled on previous complaints from Moscow
gays, although it has ruled against similar bans in other countries.
Lushkov has been a longtime vocal opponent of the
growing visibility of gays in Moscow.
Last year the mayor refused a parade license
citing security concerns. Gays, many of them from the Europen Union,
marched anyway. About 20 people were arrested at the May 27 parade, including
Alexeyev, two European parliamentarians and British gay advocate Peter Tatchell.
Charges against the foreigners were later dropped
and Alexeyev was fined $1000 rubles - about $40. (story)
Alexeyev and other community leaders went to
court in Moscow attempting to have the city's action overturned. They lost
and took the case to the European Court for Human Rights.
Last year, in another case against the mayor a
Moscow court tossed out a lawsuit accusing Lushkov of libel over claims he made
that gay rights marches were "satanic." (story)
The court ruled that Moscow Pride leaders had
failed to prove that the remarks were incendiary or intended to vilify gays in
general.
In January, a Moscow judge acquitted 13 gay
activists arrested last month for staging a protest outside a polling station
during national elections. (story)
©365Gay.com 2008
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