03 Oct 11 | Index Index, minipost
Forty people have been arrested in Moscow during a gay pride rally. The rally, which took place on 1 October was one of the few gay rights events which had been approved by authorities. Participants in the rally found themselves faced with protesters, some of whom threw tomatoes at them. Authorities are trying to work out how many of those arrested were involved in the rally, and how many were trying to stop it. Attempts to hold gay pride marches in Russian cities in the past have been blocked by police, church activists and football fans. The arrests follow reports that Russia’s Arkhangelsk region has adopted a draft law banning all events promoting homosexuality, including Gay Pride marches.
21 Sep 10 | Index Index, minipost
A Russian gay rights activist who went missing from a Moscow airport last week, said he was kidnapped by state security agents. Nikolai Alekseyev was told he would have to undergo further security checks as he prepared for his flight to Geneva on 15 September. He was then driven to a police station in Kashira where he was detained for two days. The men holding him demanded that he withdraw a complaint from the European Court of Human Rights against Moscow’s ban on gay rights rallies. He refused to sign any documents. News agencies received text messages that appeared to be from the activist saying he was seeking political asylum in Belarus. Alekseyev later confirmed these were sent by his captors. He was released on 18 September.
25 May 10 | Index Index, minipost
Two employees of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe, the country’s only gay and lesbian advocacy group, have been arrested after police raided their offices. Ellen Chademana and Ignatius Muhambi were accused of possessing pornographic materials and dangerous drugs, after a search conducted under Zimbabwe’s repressive censorship laws which also saw the seizure of documents and computers. Since their arrest, the suspects have been denied contact with their lawyers, despite the fact that Chademana suffers from diabetes. Police have not confirmed either the specific charges being brought against the pair, or when they are likely to be released.
11 Feb 10 | Index Index, minipost, Uncategorized
Moscow gay pride parade organisers have complained to the European Court of Human Rights about the ban on the 2009 parade. Moscow’s Mayor Luzhkow has previously labelled the parade “satanic” and the case follows a number of unsuccessful appeals against the bans in the Russian court system. Moscow Pride are seeking €200,000 in damages from the Russian Federation. The Strasbourg court has given Russian authorities ten days to lay out their position on the ban.
