The Moscow City Court on Tuesday upheld a decision by City Hall to ban a gay pride parade on May 27.
The parade's organizer, Nikolai Alexeyev, said the ruling indicated that the authorities had no intention of fulfilling their obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights and promised to lodge an appeal in the European Court of Human Rights.
"Today's decision will be challenged in the European court," he said, according to Interfax.
Tuesday's ruling upheld a decision by the Tverskoi District Court in July. The ban was the seventh imposed by City Hall since 2006.
Despite the ban on the May parade, which was supposed to mark the 19th anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in Russian law, about hundreds of people gathered at two unsanctioned rallies in downtown Moscow. Forty people were detained amid clashes between gay and Russian Orthodox activists.
Related articles:
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
