Russia blocks 9 planned Pride marches
Russian official have blocked plans for Pride marches at nine locations, including one in Salekhard, at the Arctic Circle.
In each case, officials cited the country’s anti-“gay propaganda” law, claiming that the events would be harmful to children.
About 300 gay rights activists planned to march on Jan. 29 in Salekhard’s “Polar Pride” on the Siberian side of the Ural Mountains, which mark the easternmost boundary of Europe.
Nikolai Alexeyev, leader of Russian LGBTI group Moscow Pride, has helped activists apply for permits to hold Pride parades across Russia.
In addition to the proposed “Polar Pride” parade in Salekhard, others have been proposed and rejected in St. Petersburg, Arkhangelsk, Yekaterinburg, Cheylabinsk, Sarank, Tula, Tver and Vladimir.
“It will, if necessary, be brought to the European Court of Human Rights,” Alexeyev said.
Russia’s constitution states that people must have the right to freedom of assembly, he said.
For more information, see the article “Pride in Arctic banned” in Gay Star News. This article includes information from UNAIDS’s Equal Eyes recap of the world’s LGBTI news.
Related articles:
- Russia: QueerFest 2016 aims to be more inclusive (September 2016, 76crimes.com)
- Russia hampers AIDS battle (August 2016, 76crimes.com)
- Russian QueerFest: Success despite attacks, threats (September 2014, 76crimes.com)
