Activist sues authorities over gay propaganda law

Published time: May 16, 2012 14:00
Edited time: May 16, 2012 18:00
RIA Novosti/Vadim Zhernov

Gay activist Nikolay Alekseyev has appealed the St. Petersburg law on banning gay propaganda. He says that the law is discriminatory and violates the city’s Charter.

­The plaintiff, the founder and leader of the GayRussia.ru NGO which fights for the rights of sexual minorities, is convinced the law contradicts the provision stipulating that local authorities are obliged to assure “national equality, freedom of conscience and thought” in the city.

Alekseyev outlined he is ready to go to the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights in case of an “unsatisfactory” ruling of the lower instance.

At the beginning of May, Nikolay Alekseyev was fined over the incident that took place on April 12 when he appeared near the headquarters of the St. Petersburg city administration with a homemade poster reading “Homosexuality is not a perversion, grass hockey and ice ballet are perversions.”

Alekseyev’s fine became the first-ever application of the law against the propaganda of homosexuality, transgender and pedophilia, which was approved and signed into force by St. Petersburg authorities at the end of February.

The law establishes administrative responsibility in the form of fines for such propaganda. The fines are relatively small for private persons, but get bigger for state officials and legal entities.

Comments (11)

Liberty (unregistered) 05.06.2012 09:18

Its seems as if all a lot of people here is not so certain about their heterosexuality. Why are they so extremely against homosexuality and do they mention it time after time? They are not forced to become homosexual (which isn't even possible if you are not born that way), only to treat people who are gays as equal human beings. Maybe they are scared because they feel certain secret homosexual feelings/thoughts sometimes, which they must strongly oppress. If you are sure of your heterosexuality, you can impossibly be bothered by gays... More women for me...Oh wait, lets end in an RT manner: zionist this, illuminati that, evil USA, satanic West... peace!

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AussieJohn (unregistered) 19.05.2012 08:55

This activist is a big on talk but really he is just full of hot air as he knows very well that there was a crucial ruling by the European Court of Human Rights which found that not allowing gays to marry or adopt children is not their discrimination nor violation of their human rights. The case was brought by two French lesbians against the state of France whose courts would not allow them to marry nor adopt. It was a big win for France and humankind. As a result of this ruling, the UK also decided not to legalise gay marriages which was a big setback for Cameron who is a big fan of the whole gay lobby.

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Rin (unregistered) 18.05.2012 17:32

The society today is sick as fvck! And letting a mentally sick society decide whether complete gay freedom is or is not dangerous will plunge humanity into a point of no return. But don't worry, I don't see gay freedoms happening anytime soon in Russia, as long as Putin is on the job. Thank goodness.

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