Russian courts fear anti-gay law, victorious protester says
Straight attorney Sergey Kondrashov, who was cleared Monday of violating St. Petersburg’s new “anti-gay propaganda” law, says Russian courts are shying away from enforcing the new law.
“The courts are afraid of applying this law and do not want to take responsibility for its further enforcement,” Kondrashov said, as reported by Gay Star News. “The judge’s decision is illogical in a legal sense, and it lacks common sense.”
Kondrashov was arrested April 7 for protesting against the new law with a sign that read: “A dear family friend is lesbian. My wife and I love and respect her … and her family is just as equal as ours.”
On Monday, he was cleared of the charge of violating the March 7 “anti-gay propaganda” law, which bans activities that would promote gay culture among minors. Kondrashov was found guilty of disobeying a police officer who ordered him to remove the sign.
He said he would appeal that conviction.
“I was accused only of disobeying the policeman but all evidence of the supposed ‘propaganda’ I was spreading disappeared from the court record,” Kondrashov said.
Laws similar to St. Petersburg’s are under consideration by the Russian parliament, or duma, and by the city of Moscow.
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