Bishop would not admit same sex marriage in Russia

One of the high ranking officials of the Russian Orthodox Church promised not to allow same-sex marriages in Russia
During the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church held on June 24th - 29th in Moscow the issue of the "human rights in orthodox understanding" is most likely to be on the agenda of the Council.

Today during the press-conference at Russian Information Agency RIA "Novosti" his Holiness Theophan - the bishop of Stavropol and Caucasus region, stated that the Russian Orthodox Church would speak in support of the understang of the human rights from religious point of view only. The Russian Church will affect the development of the legal institutes in Russia inscribing its understanding within the frameworks of the orthodox ideology.

In particular Rev. Theophan said that the Russian Orthodox Church "would never admit same-sex marriage". "It is the firm position of the Church and it can not be shifted or altered", - he stressed, saying that "the major right of the man, given to him by God, is the right not to admit morally the destruction of the personality and the society in general".

In recent years the Russian Orthodox Church's activities were one of the homophobia provoking factors. We would like to remind that the results of the polls taken by Gay.ru earlier this year showed: 30 per cent of the LGBT peolpe in Russia consider the Orthodox Church one of the major source of homophobia.

http://english.gay.ru/news/rainbow/2008/06/23-13366.htm

Give me a smile (action for helping children)

On June 15 activists of LGBT Rights visited again hospital with children who have oncology sickness. This time there were children at hospital who don't have an opportunity to leave for holidays home, and they have to stay in their wards for these days.


We were honoured to have the attention of the Moscow Regional State Theatre of Dolls. The honoured actress of Russia, Martyanova Lyudmila Ananevna, has brought and showed to children her remarkable doll performance "Princess on a pea". Children were delighted from it and from Lyudmila Ananevny, unfortunately, they infrequently manage to see such show. They joyfully clapped, their eyes shone with joy , and for children's mothers it is the most important thing when they see their children happy and smiling.

Our activists gave some presents to the children and a lot of balloons, children were glad, smiling they sung and play the guitar together with us.

Exhausted by constant treatment, chemotherapy and various medical preparations, new impressions and emotions are necessary to children, the attention and support of adults is necessary for them, finally, they need comprehension of the happy unlimited childhood, even for a moment. It was important to us to see pleasure in children's eyes and smiles on their faces.

It was our second visit, but, not the last, we will try to use any opportunity to come to this hospital and to give a maximum of time children who need it. We won't remain indifferent for the small patients. We express a big gratitude to Martjanova Lyudmila Ananevna for remarkable performance, and also we want to express gratitude to all our activists for the help in rendering all the preparations and for carrying out this action.

P.S.: If you have a wish to help children-join us! Children are happy from your attention. from toys and your sympathy. contact briest@lgbtrights.ru

http://lgbtrights.ru

15 years ago the prosecution of gay people was lifted in Russia

15 years ago, on May 27, 1993, The Criminal Code in Russia was adjusted. Voluntary homosexual relations between men were decriminalized. Criminal penalties for gay relations were abolished.

The fate of many thousands of people was affected according to the Article #121 - Igor Kon writes in his book "Moonlight at dawn. Faces and Masks same-love".

In the 1930s to the 1980s every year about 1000 men were condemned and sent to prison. In the end of 1980s the number of condemned was reduced. According to the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation, in 1989 under article 121 in Russia were sentenced 538 people, in 1990 – 497 men, in 1991 – 462 men, in the first half of 1992 - 227 people.

This event happened in Russia in early 1993 was described by Vladimir Kirsanov in his book "69 Russian gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender.": "When Russia abolished article # 121, it was a surprise for all who deal with criminal law in Russia. Article abolished in a large package ..."

There were so many corrections that they were approved in those days by experts, as they say, without looking at them. So the amendment about the repeal for the punishment of “sodomy” went through several instances and finally adopted by the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation, together with other amendments.

The adoption of this amendment was almost not noticed. The document has emerged among the others printed in small font in Russian newspaper "Rossiyskaya Gazeta."

In spring 1993, Masha Gessen received a small grant to travel to Russia and to address the issue of the release of these people. The large list of prisoners was received from Valery Klimov, a human rights defender from Nizhny Tagil. It was relevant to the rehabilitation of gay men who were imprisoned, as well as all those who have been subjected to homosexual abuse in detention.

In Russia Gessen immediately sent telegrams to all the colonies and prisons, where, according to that list, people were convicted on the Article 121. As a result, it became clear that much of that data was obsolete or not correct.

"Distribution of telegrams, where information had been consistent with reality, had had a positive effect ...", - remembers Gessen.

english.gay.ru

Announcement connecting Alekseev's attempts of proving his innocence

In connection with distributed information by Mr. Alekseev disconsidering me and movement LGTB rights I should declare the following.

The information I wrote in mass-media on June, 5th corresponds to the validity and there are available enough proofs and witnesses. We are ready for the hearing if it will take place.
It was interesting for me to hear about his application, that I and LGBT Rights cooperate with
"The extremely left and extremist organizations whose basis of activity are violent methods of struggle» To me it is not clear why if it so, he has not declared what are these organizations. I shall add that now I get phone calls with threats in my address from his "followers", and they threatened Revin Vyacheslav Revin through the Internet massager.

Also I wish to tell about events on February, 14th when according to Alekseev " the organization of Mrs. Nechaevoj has lost any support after she personally took part in beating opponents of gays on February, 14th this year in Kamergerskii lane in Moscow. As a result those who were beaten have received wounds and have been delivered to hospital. Besides during not authorized action organized by Mrs. Nechaevoj on February, 14th, one of active formers of antifascist movement has been wounded seriously ".

It is not in competence of Alekseev to reproach me with not authorized actions as I can remind him not any of his public action has not been authorized. As he declared before June, 1st «I act on the basis of the constitution”.

Probably Alekseev considers that only he can lead out people on public actions on the basis of the constitution, the others in his opinion are only participants of the "not authorized" harmful actions. I shall add that events in Kamergerskii lane, on February, 14th are just a provocation of fascists. They saw us, and in the end of procession tried to cry out nationalist slogans.

Naturally part of anti-fascists, unfortunately, has given on this provocation. And I can present more than 300 witnesses that personally I didn’t take part in this incident, moreover I insisted on stopping them, and I call for the doctor for the victim. I shall notice that movement of anti-fascists which has come to protect gays and lesbians from nationalists has neither to LGTB in general nor to movement of LGBT Rights, not to me personally any complaints in occasion of the wounded guy of the representative of antifa-movement.

Moreover our movement participated in gathering money for the victim. By the way that never will make Alekseev, and events of 2007 have shown that. Then has suffered more than ten gays and lesbians, and he has not helped them neither morally, nor material (some people could not work, and some people lost their house and work). Also he has not supported them in court.

That fact that mister Alekseev has decided to name me a transgender Nechaev Noir on his site and in mass-media as a female tells only about his inner bias to people similar to me and about his internal homophobia. It would be desirable to know, how after all this he will look in the face that transgenders and transsexuals who have supported him on pride 2007 including ex - deputy of the Italian parliament madam Luskurii. I am at loss of how can he name himself the defender for the rights of LGTB-community after all that his acts and words.

lgbtrights.ru

Gay activist accuses Moscow gay parade organizer in a series of provocations

Moscow, June 6, Interfax - One of the Russia's gay-movement activists accused organizer of Moscow gay parade organizer Nikolay Alexeyev in provocative actions.

"The GayRussia movement headed by Alexeyev turns from a human rights center to an extremist fanatic company," chief editor of the LGBT Rights website Nuar Nechayev writes in his article Nikolay Alexeyev: human rights advocate or extremists?

Nechayev gives a detailed description of Alexeyev's provocative, as he believes, behavior in the conflict with the former State Duma MP Alexander Chuyev kindled after K baryeru (To the Barrier) program broadcasted by NTV.

The author claims that Alexeyev's another "victim" is "a LGBT coryphaeus in Russia" and founder of the Gay.ru website Eduard Mishin who together with other representatives of sex minorities spoke against gay parade in 2006. According to Nechayev, in revenge Alexeyev tried to "discredit" Mishin all through year 2007 and once even decided to intimidate the latter and chocked the Indigo shop belonging to Mishin with homophobic slogans.

"Now Mr. Alexeyev has chosen a new victim, Boris Moiseyev, whom he accuses in all the LGBT troubles. This new chase may have unpredictable results, Nechayev said.

Both gay singer Moiseyev and Mishin don't approve of Moscow gay parade activists' insistence on conducting the action in the Russian capital despite the protests of society and authorities.

Finally, Nechayev asks Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov not to consider Alexeyev's "personal dislike" as "absolute antagonism of multimillion representatives of this (LGBT - IF) community against Yury Luzhkov's personality."

In conclusion, he addresses mayors of London, Berlin, Paris and San Paolo and staff members of foreign embassies "who communicate with Nikolay Alexeyev," foreign LGBT organizations and deputies of the European Parliament.

"We don't doubt your sincerity when you back up the idea of gay emancipation in Russia. But please, believe me, end doesn't justify means and the person you trust is extremely promiscuous in his means. All the facts, I have cited, are not solitary. You have to think over the person you trust," Nechayev said.

www.interfax.com/