For Immediate Release, May 30, 2007
Media Contact: Hossein Alizadeh, 212-430-6016, halizadeh@iglhrc.org

(New York, NY, May 30, 2007) –The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) condemns the violence at the recent Moscow Pride rally held on Sunday, May 27, 2007 and the failure of Moscow police to protect demonstrators.

This year, for the second year in a row, the authorities in Moscow refused to issue permission to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) groups to hold a pride event. To protest this decision and to mark the occasion, activists decided to gather outside Moscow City Hall to present a letter, signed by dozens of European MPs, supporting their right to peaceful assembly to the Mayor’s office. Activists started gathering before noon. Within half an hour, Moscow police were making mass arrests, detaining at least 31 people, including the Italian MEP Marco Cappato and German MP Volker Beck. Most of the organizers, including Nikolai Alekseyev and Alexey Davidov, from the Pride Committee, were arrested on the way to the event. As Orthodox Christian and Neo-Nazi groups threw eggs, punched, and beat up demonstrators, Moscow police were simultaneously harassing and arresting peaceful demonstrators. Ultimately, everyone was released. However, Nikolai Alekseyev was charged with disobeying police orders. His next court date is set for June 9th.

Paula Ettelbrick, IGLHRC’s Executive Director said, “The behavior of Moscow authorities is an outrage, not to mention a clear violation of the international covenants protecting speech and assembly.” She further pointed out, “Gay pride-related rallies are a core vehicle for social change in many parts of the world for LGBT people. Without the right to public speech, we can not challenge the discrimination we face.”

The Russian authorities crackdown on gay Pride is not only a breach of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, but also violates the Russian Constitution which guarantees the right to freedom of expression and assembly. The European Court of Human Rights has also recently deemed banning such rallies or marches a human rights violation. In the case of Baczkowski and Others v. Poland, the court ruled on May 3, 2007 that Poland violated the rights of a group of gay rights activists by refusing to authorize a 2005 rally in Warsaw. The Court held unanimously that there had been violations of the freedom of association and assembly, the right to an effective remedy, and the right to be free from discrimination.

This past Sunday, Moscow police have once more shown themselves to be homophobic by throwing insults at those they were obligated to protect, and by not arresting those perpetrating violence. The Russian state has shown itself to sanction homophobia through the proclamations of state officials like Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov who said that pride parades are “satanic.” In the shadow of this recent violence, we call on Russia to change course and uphold the right to the freedom of association, assembly and expression at next year’s Pride events in Moscow, already scheduled for May 31, 2008. IGLHRC asks Moscow authorities to allow next year’s events to proceed peacefully, with government sanction and with respect and protection given to those demonstrating peacefully.

This information was compiled from reports by: GayRussia, Doug Ireland, UK Gay News, Rex Wockner, Human Rights Watch and various other news agencies

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