Disgrace in Moscow - police violently break up gay rights march, activists detained

They've done it in past. Today was no exception. Even Eurovision finale did not change Moscow authorities' homophobia.

Reports are coming from Moscow that police violently dispersed small march by Russian and Belorussian gay activists, detaining them, as well as other international human rights campaigners, including a prominent British activist Peter Tatchell, who were in Moscow to express their support for local campaigners.

I've been tweeting updates on my Twitter page.

Interestingly, Peter Tatchell breaks the news on his arrest and then release via his Twitter page, which I follow:

Just been released from Moscow police station - http://tinyurl.com/q3nshf
http://twitter.com/PeterTatchell/status/1815483021

Arrested. Shortest march I've ever been on.
http://twitter.com/PeterTatchell/status/1815179309

Well that didn't take long. Within 5mn 20 activists arrested by riot police in front of world's media, including organiser Nikolai Alekseev
http://twitter.com/PeterTatchell/status/1815162056

Not necessarily a boycott (as per below), but I'd like to see some show of solidarity by Eurovision performers and delegations.

Pride organisers call on performers to boycott Eurovision

(via Peter Tatchell human rights campaign Facebook group)

40 arrested as Moscow anti-riot police use violence to break up Slavic Pride march

Moscow – 16th May

Sources from Moscow have reported that police have used violent and oppressive tactics to break up the peaceful Slavic Pride march in the city.

The march had been outlawed by Moscow city authorities, but permission had been given for counter-demonstrations by far right ultra-nationalists.

Between 35 and 40 Russian LGBT activists have been arrested, including British human rights activist Peter Tatchell and Chicago LGBT activist Andy Thayer. Pride organiser Nikolai Alekseev was held down by 5 fully armed riot police and arrested.

European Embassy diplomats witnessed the violence are said to be planning a joint diplomatic action.

Slavic Pride organisers have called on the artists and performers of Eurovision to boycott tonight’s showpiece event in solidarity with the beaten and arrested protesters.

Organiser Nikolai Alekseev said

“I call upon all of the artists who are due to perform at tonight’s Eurovision to boycott tonight’s event and send a message that Russia’s state oppression of human rights is not acceptable.

“The Russian Government is using this years Eurovision in Moscow as a gala showpiece to show the world how far the country has improved since the early 1990’s. However, what was witnessed this afternoon on the streets of Moscow shows the world just how little Russia has travelled when it comes to supporting fundamental human rights.

“The police brutality that we witnessed here this afternoon is shocking. We planned a peaceful march to highlight the dire state of LGBT rights in Russia today. The police, given violent legitimacy by the openly homophobic Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov, did not hold back with their weapons, despite the world’s media watching.

“We were defending the often violated human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Russians. We demand the same legal protection against discrimination and hate crimes that none LGBT people enjoy.

“This episode has shamed the Russian Government and Moscow authorities before the world.”

*photo - by SkyNews, and by AP (via The Independent)

Banned: poster with naked members of Russian pop band Na-Na in Minsk

This poster with naked members of well known Russian pop band Na-Na was ‘banned’ for display in Minsk, Belarus, ahead of their concert in May. The organisers eventually found it ‘too naked’. One of the organisers said that “it’s one thing to have posters with naked women, we are used to them, but men…”

Na-Na was popular in 90s. I have not heard of them for ages. But I like what I see ;)

*photo - kp.ru (via newsmusic.ru )

Eurovision 2009 schedule unveiled by Moscow authorities... and by Russian gay activists

*via Gayrussia.ru: Official opening ceremony of Eurovision-2009 will take place at 8 p.m. on 9 May (Victory Day in Russia) at University Square in Vorobyevy Gory.

The semi-finals of the contest are planned for May 12 and 14, with the final and closing ceremony taking place at Olympiysky Stadium May 16, the same day as the planned Slavic Gay Pride. [...]

Russian gay activists, together with the activists from Belarus, announced earlier this month their intention to stage Slavic Gay Pride Parade on the day of Eurovision final.

In addition to the parade, gays and lesbians are planning other events in Russian capital, including human rights conference dedicated to the International Day Against Homophobia which is marked on May 17.

Eurovision 2009: Slavic Gay Pride in Moscow

Russian and Belarusian gay activists agreed on holding a Slavic Gay Pride to coincide with the Eurovision 2009 finale in Moscow (Saturday, 16 May).

Moscow mayor Luzhkov will surely be thrilled with this news. :)

GFest - LGBT Arts Festival

Beldan Sezen (Turkey/Germany/NL) - Possibilities
"This work is part of the Ladyfest Amsterdam exhibition and evolved around the question - plastic surgery, a freedom of possibilities?"


Gena Ivanov (Belarus) - Behind the Web
"The painting is about the feelings of a gay man coming to the UK and trying to fit in within the society. In some ways it is a slightly autobiographical and looks at the rich heritage of folklore and modern art to achieve the desired optimum harmony."

http://www.gaywisefestival.org.uk/ (November 2008, London)

Sirusho's Qele, Qele at the London Gay Pride parade

Amnesty International supporters staged 'Eurovision Pride Contest' at the London Gay Pride parade on 5 July 2008, awarding symbolic 'nul points' to countries with poor gay rights record.

"Love Is A Human Right" - that was the main message.

Sirusho's Qele, Qele (Eurovision 2008 entry from Armenia) was among only few selected Eurovision songs from previous years to accompany the Amnesty's float during the Gay Pride parade in central London.






P.S. If Armenia related similar poster was there too, I would have carried it, but Amnesty chose as an example of Eurovision countries with poor gay rights record only Turkey, Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Lithuania and Estonia. This list has to be much longer (unfortunately!).

Eurovision: Kiss of the Day (Russia's Bilan + Belarus's Alehno)

Dima Bilan + Ruslan Alehno


*source of photo - gazetaby.com (via gay.by)

2nd European Transgender Council transforms into 1st global conference of transgender activists

 

*based on press release

 

 

 

 

More than 200 transgender activists from 5 continents came together on 2-4 May for the 2nd European Transgender Council in Berlin.

Participants came from 83 groups and 38 countries, among them Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey,  Russia, Ukraine, Belarus,  USA, Peru, Japan, Namibia, Kyrgyzstan, Israel, Serbia, Iceland, Romania, Croatia.

Human rights issues, anti-discrimination legislation and an exchange of experiences on an international level were the central concerns of the Council.

The first comprehensive study (2007) of the legal rights situation and experience of health care of transgender people in Europe shows that transgender people continue to face massive violations of their human rights in most European states.

Despite much scientific controversy, forms of transgender continue to be listed in the DSM IV of the American Psychological Association (APA), just as homosexuality once was, and in the ICD-10 of the World Health Organization (WHO) as psychological disorders. DSM and ICD are guideline manuals used in healthcare to standardise the definitions of what constitutes mental illness. Transgender Europe (TGEU) emphatically refuses this pathologisation and will assist the next reformulation of the DSM in a critical manner, when this is carried out in 2011.

At the plenary meeting of Transgender Europe (TGEU), a new Executive Board and a new Steering Committee were elected, with representatives from Denmark, Germany, England, Ireland and Italy. The new President of the Organisation is Stephen Whittle, PhD, Professor of Equalities Law, Manchester Metropolitan University, President of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH, USA) and Vicepresident of Press for Change (PfC, UK).

First time in Belarus: rainbow flag at Chernobyl protest

*via Petrelis Files, via gay Belarus advocacy organisation TEMA

More than a thousand people took part in the opposition’s march staged on the occasion of the 22nd Chernobyl accident anniversary in Minsk on April 26. It was a first time in a history, when rainbow flag used on political public event in Belarus.

The crowd started gathering at the square in front of the National Academy of Sciences at 2 p.m. and a short rally followed. Leaders of opposition had did speeches.

Sergey Androsenko, 19y.o. gay - leader of Gay Youth Association, stay with big rainbow flag in the center of crowd. Anarchists promise to protect gays on this event if somebody will try attack them.

The crowd then walked some two miles on sidewalks from the square to a church built to commemorate Chernobyl victims at the intersection between Arlowskaya and Karastayanavay Streets. [...]

After reaching the church, the crowd observed a minute of silence for those who died of illnesses caused by the Chernobyl fallout and laid flowers at a monument commemorating the victims. The demonstrators started dispersing shortly afterward.
Police did not interfere and no arrests were reported.

This case definitely will become a part of Belarusian LGBT history as a date of beginning of cooperation between civil society and LGBT movement, and the date of proud when LGBT activists didn’t afraid to become visible.

Svyatoslav Sementsov
TEMA