The European Court of Human Rights has combined cases stemming from Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov’s bans on gay-pride events in 2006, 2007 and 2008, and instructed Russian authorities to file a response by Jan. 20.
“Our actions and pressure finally made them move,” said plaintiff Nikolai Alekseev. “It means that in one year we should have a decision.”
In February, Alekseev and others picketed the court demanding that the cases be prioritized.
“This case is about a systematic denial of freedom of assembly for LGBT people in Russia since 2006,” Alekseev said. “But it goes beyond the LGBT borders and will help all human rights defenders and political groups as it will force Russia to change its law on demonstrations and public events.”
“We hope to have a decision before the fifth Moscow Pride scheduled for May 29, 2010,” he said. “Justice always comes, it’s only a matter of time.”
Luzhkov has banned pride for four years and has sent riot police to violently arrest small groups of activists who ignored the bans.
The mayor has said the bans are for gays’ own good so that “radical Christians” don’t “kill them.” Russian society, he has said, “does not accept all these homos.”
But Luzhkov also has called gay pride parades “satanic” and, reportedly, “weapons of mass destruction.”
By Rex Wockner
