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Moscow’s Mayor to Prohibit “Satanic" Gay Parades
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By Kenneth F. Hunt
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe
MOSCOW, Europe – Yuri Luzhkov, the mayor of Moscow, said in a public statement on Monday January 24 that he will not permit gay parades in Russia’s capital, noting in particular one specific parade planned for this coming May. Mr. Luzhkov characterized such events as “satanic”.
In rationalizing his prohibition, Mr. Luzhkov said: “We cannot complacently watch numerous displays of blasphemy under the guise of creative work or freedom of speech.” He described gay parades as “sexual aids [with] pictures, one glance at which insults the soul of even an adult.”
Moscow's Mayor Yuri Luzhkov [Source: AFP]
Mr. Luzhkov has a record of public statements that show hostility towards gay persons. For example, in June 2009 on a Moscow television program Mr. Luzhkov used the Russian word “gomiki”, a derogatory term that refers to homosexuals. Gay rights groups sued the mayor immediately, but a court in Moscow promptly dismissed their claim.
Moreover, Mr. Luzhkov has a demonstrated history of resisting pressure from gay rights groups to allow parades and other public rallies.
For example, in May 2009, an unauthorized parade by a gay rights group was dispersed by Moscow police on Mr. Luzhkov’s orders. Several human rights campaigners were publicly dragged through the streets. This occurred after the city refused to grant a permit to the group, which wanted to draw attention to their cause publicly while Moscow hosted the international Eurovision Song Contest that month.
Human rights groups have threatened to bring a lawsuit to the European Court of Human Rights if Mr. Luzkhov continues to illegally ban their ability to demonstrate in public. But in the meantime gay rights groups insist that they will continue with plans to hold a parade in May 2010 in spite of the ban. Campaigner Nikolai Alexeyev told the press that his group still “plan[s] to hold a gay parade on May 29.”
Mr. Luzhkov responded by indicating possible further criminal repercussion for gay groups who engage in organized public activity. The mayor said that “[i]t's high time that we stop propagating nonsense discussions about human rights, and bring to bear on them the full force and justice of the law.”
For more information, please see:
NEW YORK TIMES – Russia: Mayor Vows to Stop Gay Parade – 25 January 2010
ITAR-TASS – Gay parades will be ruled out in Moscow in future, too – 25 January 2010
AFP – Moscow mayor calls gay pride parade ‘Satanic’ – 25 January 2010
RIA NOVOSTI – Moscow renews vow to ban 'satanic' gay parades – 25 January 2010
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe
MOSCOW, Europe – Yuri Luzhkov, the mayor of Moscow, said in a public statement on Monday January 24 that he will not permit gay parades in Russia’s capital, noting in particular one specific parade planned for this coming May. Mr. Luzhkov characterized such events as “satanic”.
In rationalizing his prohibition, Mr. Luzhkov said: “We cannot complacently watch numerous displays of blasphemy under the guise of creative work or freedom of speech.” He described gay parades as “sexual aids [with] pictures, one glance at which insults the soul of even an adult.”
Moscow's Mayor Yuri Luzhkov [Source: AFP]
Mr. Luzhkov has a record of public statements that show hostility towards gay persons. For example, in June 2009 on a Moscow television program Mr. Luzhkov used the Russian word “gomiki”, a derogatory term that refers to homosexuals. Gay rights groups sued the mayor immediately, but a court in Moscow promptly dismissed their claim.
Moreover, Mr. Luzhkov has a demonstrated history of resisting pressure from gay rights groups to allow parades and other public rallies.
For example, in May 2009, an unauthorized parade by a gay rights group was dispersed by Moscow police on Mr. Luzhkov’s orders. Several human rights campaigners were publicly dragged through the streets. This occurred after the city refused to grant a permit to the group, which wanted to draw attention to their cause publicly while Moscow hosted the international Eurovision Song Contest that month.
Human rights groups have threatened to bring a lawsuit to the European Court of Human Rights if Mr. Luzkhov continues to illegally ban their ability to demonstrate in public. But in the meantime gay rights groups insist that they will continue with plans to hold a parade in May 2010 in spite of the ban. Campaigner Nikolai Alexeyev told the press that his group still “plan[s] to hold a gay parade on May 29.”
Mr. Luzhkov responded by indicating possible further criminal repercussion for gay groups who engage in organized public activity. The mayor said that “[i]t's high time that we stop propagating nonsense discussions about human rights, and bring to bear on them the full force and justice of the law.”
For more information, please see:
NEW YORK TIMES – Russia: Mayor Vows to Stop Gay Parade – 25 January 2010
ITAR-TASS – Gay parades will be ruled out in Moscow in future, too – 25 January 2010
AFP – Moscow mayor calls gay pride parade ‘Satanic’ – 25 January 2010
RIA NOVOSTI – Moscow renews vow to ban 'satanic' gay parades – 25 January 2010
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