Moscow authorities have once again banned the city’s Pride celebration, which was due to take place on 28 May.
The festival has been banned for the past six years – despite the fact that a both the European Court of Human Rights and a court in St Petersberg both ruled in October that banning it was illegal.
Nicola Duckworth, Director of Amnesty International’s Europe and Central Asia Programme, said:
“The Moscow City Authorities must overturn their decision to ban this year’s Moscow Gay Pride. So-called public morality concerns can never be used to justify restrictions on the freedom of expression of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
“The right response to such objections is not to cave in to their demands, but to ensure that those seeking to exercise their rights lawfully are able to do so in safety and in dignity.”
“The Russian authorities must ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Russia are able to express the identities and organise public events without hindrance or the threat of violence.”
