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MEPs call for end to ban on Moscow gay pride
February 20, 2009 12:32 PM
A group of MEPs including Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman Sarah Ludford has written to the Russian government asking what action it will take to end the systematic breach of rights of freedom of assembly for the Russian LGBT community. Since May 2006 Russian officials have banned 167 public events that LGBT communities had planned across the country.
The letter also requests the Russian government to enter a dialogue with the organisers of Moscow Pride to ensure that the event planned for May 16th can be conducted in accordance with the Russian constitution and the European Human Rights Convention (ECHR).
Sarah Ludford said:
"Russia as a member of the Council of Europe and signatory to the ECHR must respect its obligations to allow peaceful assembly and free speech, for the LGBT community as well as others. I hope that this intervention by MEPs will demonstrate that the EU is not content just to stand aside and say nothing about abuses of human rights."
"We are constantly assured by President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin that Russia is a free and democratic country. Facilitating Moscow Pride so it can go ahead unhindered as an expression of Russia's diversity is a way of showing that this assertion has substance."
"If Russia wants to be European in hosting the Eurovision Song Contest, then it must also demonstrate European values of civil liberties."
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