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Moscow Gay Pride March Date for 2012 Is Set
 Will be the seventh attempt to stage event

■ A participant the the attempt to hold Gay Pride march in Moscow last May is arrested and dragged away from the scene by the OMON 'riot police' photo Kirill Nepomnyaschiy, GayRussia.eu

MOSCOW, November 2, 2011  –  A seventh attempt to stage a Gay Pride march in the Russian capital is to be made next year.  And the organising committee last night set Sunday May 27, the 19th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Russia, as the date.

“Even even though Moscow authorities continue to ban all public events of sexual minorities in the capital, breaching both Russian law and the verdict of the European Court, we will continue to demand permission for our Gay Pride marches in Moscow,” acting head of the organising committee Alexander Naumchik told UK Gay News this afternoon.

Mr. Naumchik took over responsibilities of acting chief organiser almost two weeks ago following the unexpected resignation of Nikolai Alekseev.

“The next Pride will definitely take place on May 27, 2012,” Mr. Naumchik added.

The last time Moscow Pride took place on this day, which is symbolic for the Russian LGBT community and freedom in Russia, was in 2007.  Since then the dates moved but in 2012 we will again go on the streets of Moscow with our calls for equality on May 27.”

Mr. Naumchik said that it was in 2007 that the most representative Moscow Pride was staged, though the march was banned by City Hall and there was violence when there was an attempt to rally.

“It was attended by parliamentarians from Europe as well as a Russian Duma deputy and the band ‘Tatu’.  We are convinced that the event in 2012 will be also very representative and have already invited both activists and politicians from Europe and America,” Mr Naumchik said.

All attempts to stage a Gay Pride march in Moscow have been banned – five by the previous Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, who infamously described them a “satanic gatherings”, and this year by the current Mayor, Sergey Sobyanin.

However, in 2010 organisers managed to outwit the authorities and were able to parade a 20-metre long Rainbow flag along a busy street for 750 metres.

On October 21, 2010, the European Court of Human Rights ruled  in the case of Alekseyev v. Russia that the bans of three Moscow Prides in 2006, 2007 and 2008 contradicted the European Human Rights Convention.

The Russian authorities were ordered to pay almost 30,000 Euros in compensation and legal costs for the bans.

The verdict came into force on 11 April after the appeal by the Russian Government asking for a new hearing at the Grand Chamber was dismissed.

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