02/07/2013
JOINT STATEMENT on the events of the St. Petersburg LGBT Pride parade
By the Russian LGBT Network, LGBT Organization Coming Out (“Vyhod”), and the Alliance of Straights for LGBT Equality
On June 29, 2013, participants in a peaceful demonstration in support of human rights and equality for people of different sexual orientations and gender identities (the St. Petersburg LGBT Pride Parade) found themselves the subjects of abuse and physical assault at the hands of nationalists. Having started their attack with vulgar verbal abuse, followers of various nationalist groups soon switched to beating the demonstrators and pelting them with stones and smoke bombs. Police officers at the site failed to act adequately in order to prevent the violence, leaving the demonstration’s participants in the position of having to defend themselves. The demonstrators displayed true courage and strength of spirit..
25/06/2013
Director fined 300 000 rubles. Going to court is becoming dangerous.
Today, Coming Out's director Anna Anisimova was found guilty for failing to register the organization as a "foreign agent", and was fined 300 000 rubles (7 500 euro). Together with the 500 000 rubles (12 500 euro) imposed on the organization on June 19 of this year, Coming Out now "owes" 20 000 euro to the Russian government.
19/06/2013
Another LGBT-“foreign agent” “caught”, or presumption of guilt
The third and final hearing of the case of Coming Out accused of serving as a “foreign agent” took place today in the magistrates’ court in St. Petersburg. Predictably, the organization was found guilty and fined 500 000 rubles (maximum amount for one violation), making it the 2nd Russian LGBT NGO to be branded “foreign agents”. Overall, 4 Russian NGOs have been given the verdict.
Under Article 19.34 of the administrative code of the Russian Federation, if a non-commercial organization receives foreign funds and is involved in “political activity”, it must register with the Ministry of Justice as a “foreign agent”. In laymen terms, “foreign agent” is equivalent to a “spy for a foreign state.”
17/05/2013
ONE OF THE LARGEST LGBT DEMONSTRATIONS IN RUSSIA TOOK PLACE IN ST. PETERSBURG
Today, over 150 LGBT people and their friends and allies gathered on Marsovo Pole, the “Hyde Park” of St. Petersburg, to commemorate Vladislav Tornovoy and other victims of homophobic hate crimes, making this one of the largest public LGBT demonstration ever in Russia. LGBT activists were joined by members of civil and human rights groups, such as “Soldiers' mothers”, “Solidarity”, Anti-Discimination Center Memorial, Yabloko party, and others. Around 150 counter-protesters, held at bay by police barriers, displayed photos of victims of pedophiles, shouted slurs, threw smoke pellets and small stones at the demonstrators. Among those were two radicals who are currently on trial for the attacks on LGBT activists last year. One of the counter-protester leaders was Vitaly Milonov, the author of the “propaganda” law and United Russia city parliament deputy.
16/05/2013
IDAHO RALLY WILL COMMEMORATE VICTIMS OF HOMOPHOBIC HATE CRIMES
The annual St. Petersburg International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia rally will take place tomorrow, May 17, at 2 pm on Marsovo Pole – the “Hyde Park” of St. Petersburg, in the city center. Traditionally, a joyful celebration of our pride, during which we release rainbow balloons in the air as a symbol of our wish for a world free of homophobia and transphobia, this year’s event will be dedicated to the memory of Vladislav Tornovoy, brutally murdered in Volgograd on May 9th of this year, and to all victims of homophobic hate crimes.
01/05/2013
RAINBOW MAYDAY MARCH IN ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA
May 1st, a
true “gay parade” took place at the May Day March in St. Petersburg, Russia.
80-100 people marched down the St. Petersburg historical central avenue,
with rainbow flags and slogans such as “No to the shameful homophobic law!
Let’s stop the hate and discrimination together!” LGBT made part of the larger
Democratic column, consisting of various democratic political parties and
groups of St. Petersburg.
02/04/2013
It’s high time to speak up about the effects of the homophobic law in St. Petersburg
This week St. Petersburg will discuss the effects of homophobia and transphobia on LGBT teenagers and adults. LGBT organization Coming Out invites everyone to talk about the different aspects of acceptance of homosexual people in society and to hear the views of various civil society organizations and movements on the rights of LGBT people. Several events - informational workshops, discussions and debates - will be held during the Week against homophobia and transphobia under the slogan "It's high time to speak".
02/04/2013
The First Russian Week of Transgender Visibility
Last
week LGBT organization Coming Out hosted the first Week of Transgender
Visibility in St. Petersburg. This was also the first public event dedicated to
transgender rights after the infamous “propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexualism,
and transgenderness” law was adopted
in St. Petersburg exactly one year ago.
29/03/2013
LGBT Organization “Coming Out” submitted to UN its point of view on rights of children
Today on March 20th LGBT organization “Coming Out” submitted to the UN Committee on the rights of Children its alternative report. Text of the report will be the source of additional information on the time of discussions regarding implementation of the UN Convention on rights of children in Russian Federation.
29/03/2013
Your contribution in monitoring of discrimination against LGBT
Are you or your friends, relatives, acquaintances members of the LGBT community? Then you’ve probably heard the opinion that no one discriminates LGBT and that they want to get ‘special rights’. Sometimes even LGBT people think like this; usually it’s those who are not open about their orientation or gender identity. The reality is LGBT often face discrimination, even though sometimes they don’t even understand it.