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US State Department Criticises Russia, Serbia for Breaches of Human Rights of Gays

Human Rights Report praised by Moscow Gay Pride Organisers
 

■ Moscow Gay Pride 2008: A very small and short Pride march was staged when organisers 'fooled' the police as to the venue. photo courtesy GayRussia.ru

WASHINGTON, February 26, 2009  –  Russia is condemned for breaches of human rights in the US State Department’s annual Human Rights Report, published yesterday.  And human rights for gay men and women are highlights by the cases of continued bans on Moscow Gay Pride.

The report also criticises other countries, like Serbia and Nigeria, for their attitudes towards gays.

In the section on Russia, a large part of the report is given over to the human rights situation in the North Caucasus, highlighting cases of kidnapping, tortures, and killings of civilians.

And the report points out that quite often the Russian special services are involved in these crimes.

On gay rights issues, the report says:

On June 1, after a number of gay rights activists were repeatedly denied permission to hold parades, gay pride organizers held two demonstrations in Moscow.  Organizers had announced that the demonstration would take place across the street from the mayor’s office, and police and counter-protesters gathered there to confront them.  However, the organizers secretly notified participants of a different location and, in contrast to the banned parade in 2007, a short march took place largely free of violence.  The human rights ombudsman criticized the mayor’s policy of denying permission for gay parades.  In October, the Moscow City Court upheld a ruling by the Tverskoy District Court banning 10 marches that were part of the gay parade.

While homosexuality is not illegal, the gay community continued to suffer societal stigma and discrimination. Medical practitioners reportedly continued to limit or refuse their access to health services due to intolerance and prejudice.  According to recent studies, male homosexuals were refused work due to their sexuality.  Openly gay men were targets for skinhead aggression, which was often met with police indifference.  A few gay rights organizations operated out of public view.

The law does not provide for increased penalties for violence motivated by sexual orientation. In March, two youths killed a man in Sverdlovsk Oblast whom they perceived to be a homosexual. Both individuals were arrested and remained under investigation.  There was no update in the case at year’s end.

On June 1, gay pride activist Alexey Davydov was assaulted while addressing reporters at the Moscow Gay Pride event. Members of the National Slavonic Union pushed to the ground and severely beat Davydov.  The police managed to arrest the attackers, although police also detained Davydov and sent him to the same police station along with the attackers.  There were reportedly no charges filed against the perpetrators.

The report also cites the 2007 Moscow Gay Pride: “In May 2007, participants in a Moscow gay rights demonstration were assaulted by counter demonstrators. Security forces did not protect the demonstrators and arrested approximately 25 gay rights activists”

It is not the first time that the US State Department has highlighted the violation of Freedom of Assembly for the LGBT community in Russia, and in particular the bans of the Moscow Pride events.

But Nikolai Alekseev pointed out that the issue of Freedom of Assembly for gays and lesbians was not only in Moscow:

“Whether in Moscow, Tambov, Liski, or anywhere, freedom of assembly does not exist in Russia for LGBT people,” he said this evening.

“It’s already a turnaround that a report on human rights dedicates a large part to LGBT issues.

“This is a great reward for our fight of freedom of assembly that GayRussia and Moscow Pride have started in 2005 already. In 2009, we keep fighting,” he added.

Elsewhere in the Human Rights Report, there is criticism of Serbia and Nigeria for continued problems suffered by gay men and women.  But the report recognises improvements in Latvia and Poland.

SERBIA

Violence and discrimination against homosexuals was a problem.  A comprehensive survey of societal perceptions of homosexuality and attitudes towards the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) population, conducted in February and March, showed that the dominant opinion was that homosexuality is a disease and represents a threat to society. Several Serbia-based Neo-Nazi web sites and Facebook pages hosted anti-LGBT forums and groups.

During the Eurovision song contest in May, the right-wing youth group Obraz organized squads that patrolled Belgrade to protest against the “street conference of gay-lesbian groups”.  The group stated it would not tolerate any public promotion of “evil”, but there were no reported incidents.

On September 19, a group of approximately 20 youths wearing surgical masks and hoods attacked participants in a gay rights festival in Belgrade.  Several participants suffered minor injuries, while an U.S. citizen suffered a broken arm and concussion.  According to press reports, the police reacted swiftly, arresting two of the attackers and filing criminal charges.  There was no further information available at year's end.

LATVIA

After denying a permit in 2006, authorities issued, for a second year, a permit for a gay pride parade in Riga. While the parade was held on May 31, its organizers questioned the extremely high level of security measures taken by authorities, which organizers believed discouraged participation and limited visibility of the event.

POLAND

During the year there were some reports of skinhead violence and societal discrimination against persons based on their sexual orientation.

On April 25, an estimated 1,000 persons took part in Krakows annual gay March for Tolerance to call for an end to prejudice against homosexuals.  The event took place without major incident; organizers noted that, for the first time, they were not forced to change their route and could march through the city's main square.  A small counter-demonstration was organized by the All Youth and National Rebirth of Poland activists.  Some hooligans threw eggs, stones and bottles at march participants; six people were detained by police.  In May 2007 the UN Committee Against Torture raised concerns over violence and hatred against homosexuals in the country.

On June 7, Warsaw authorities allowed the annual Equality Parade to take place in the city center for the third consecutive year.  Approximately 2,000 local and international gay rights advocates participated in the march without serious incident.  Some 100 members of the All Poland's Youth and National Radical Camp staged a counterdemonstration, but there was no direct confrontation between the two groups due to police protection.

NIGERIA

Homosexuality is illegal under federal law; homosexual practices are punishable by prison sentences of up to 14 years.  In the 12 northern states that have adopted Shari’a law, adults convicted of engaging in homosexual intercourse are subject to execution by stoning, although no such sentences were imposed during the year.  Because of widespread taboos against homosexuality, very few persons were openly homosexual.

On September 12, local newspapers Nation, Vanguard, PM News and the Sunday Sun published photos, names, and addresses of members of the House of Rainbow Metropolitan Community Church, a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered-friendly church in Lagos.  Following publication, persons started harassing the 12 members.  One woman was attacked by 11 men, while others were threatened, stoned, and beaten.  No investigation was initiated by year’s end.

■ The full US State Department's Human Rights Report can be read HERE.

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