Submitted by crinadmin on
Summary: Activists fear that until the proposed bill is revoked, it could always come back on the table.
[12 December 2011] - The legislative assembly of St. Petersburg has decided to postpone the hearing of the anti-gay bill for the second time. The bill was introduced by Putin and Medvedev’s United Russia party and is an attempt to legalise discrimination against LGBT people in Russia [under the guise of "protecting" children from "homosexual propaganda"]. “Protesters all over the world have shown that this is not a bill that belongs in a European country in 2011, as it clearly violates human rights. Ahead of the EU-Russia summit mid-December, EU leaders should put pressure on Russia to scrap this law,” said Ninke Liebert, Programme Officer at Civil Rights Defenders. Since the protest started, over 10,000 signatures have been collected against the bill in Russia and 220,000 abroad. Additionally, numerous mass street protests have taken place all over Russia. “Until the bill is repealed it hangs over our heads like the sword of Damocles. It can be back on the table in no time and we need to continue campaigning against this blatant attempt to silence the gay community for good,” said Polina Savchenko, from our partner Coming Out. Similar laws has already been passed in Ryazan Oblast and Arkhangelsk. Sign the petition against the bill! Further Information:
pdf: http://www.civilrightsdefenders.org/en/news/13887/