Slavic Pride: Tatchell Allowed Into Russia – Moscow Mayor – Gay Activists Seek Meeting – Dialogue Urged to Resolve Dispute Over Gay Parade

May 14, 2009 in Eurovision, GLBT, Gay, Gay Life, Gay Rights, Homophobia, Homosexuality, LGBT, Modest Mussorgsky, Nicolas Alexeyev, Nikolai Alekseev, Nikolai Alekseyev, Nikolai Gogol, Peter Tatchell, Peter Tchaikovsky, Slavic Gay Pride, Slavic Pride

Peter Tatchell Moscow 2007

Moscow mayor – Gay activists seek meeting

Dialogue urged to resolve dispute over gay parade

Tatchell allowed into Russia. Arrived this morning

He urges respect for Russia’s great gay icons, such as Peter Tchaikovsky, Modest Mussorgsky and Nikolai Gogol

Moscow – 14 May 2009 by Peter Tatchell

“I appeal to Mayor Yuri Luzhkov to meet with me and the Slavic Gay Pride organizers to discuss his anxieties about the gay parade. We are keen to reassure him. Dialogue can create understanding and facilitate the amicable solution we seek. We are ready to meet the Mayor anywhere at anytime. I hope he will agree. Meeting us would be a generous, conciliatory gesture,” said British gay human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who arrived in Moscow today to support Saturday’s planned gay parade in the city centre.

The Moscow authorities have banned the gay parade and threatened “tough measures” against the marchers – even though the right to protest in guaranteed under the Russian constitution.

“Many great Russians have been gay or bisexual, including Peter Tchaikovsky, Sergei Eisentein, Modest Mussorgsky, Nijinski, Sergei Diaghilev, Nikolai Gogol, and Rudolf Nureyev. The Russian people should celebrate their gay history with pride. These gay Russian artists and intellectuals have made an immense contribution to human civilisation,” said Mr Tatchell.

Mr Tatchell is the human rights spokesperson for the Green Party of England and Wales. He is also the Green Party parliamentary candidate for Oxford East at the next UK general election, and hopes to be elected MP of the university city.

Nikolai Alekseev, the organizer of the gay parade said:

“All we seek is the right to hold a gay parade like they have in other European cities. This is not unreasonable. Sadly, the Moscow authorities have so far refused to meet and dialogue with us. We are sure that a solution can be found if the mayor and his officials meet us. We are offering him an olive branch. I hope he will reciprocate,” said Mr Alekseev.

At the Moscow Pride parade in 2007, Mr Tatchell was badly beaten and arrested. He has been left with permanent minor eye and brain damage, which has adversely affected his vision, concentration, memory, balance and coordination.

“I am undeterred by my violent experiences last time. It is important to support brave Russians who are defending the right to protest. The right to hold a gay parade is an issue of fundamental civil liberties. We are defending the freedom of expression of all Russians, gay and straight,” added Mr Tatchell.

Mr Tatchell was granted a Russian visa and had no trouble when he arrived at Moscow airport this morning. “Immigration officials were welcoming, friendly and courteous,” he said.

Have a look on this movie of the 2007 Moscow Gay Parade :

See Also:

• Gay Pride in Moscow: Report from Andy Thayer, a Chicago Activist
• Slavic Pride: We Don’t Want Moscow to Become Sodom Said Nikolai Dovydenko, Leader of the United Orthodox Youth
• Russian Lesbian Couple, Irina Fedotova and Irina Shipitko, Denied Marriage License
• Slavic Pride: UK Foreign Office Revises Guidance for Gay Travellers in Moscow
• Peter Tatchell Risks Moscow Gay Pride – Undeterred by Threat of Arrests and Bashings
• Moscow Ban of the Slavic Pride: Dutch Singer Gordon Threatens to Boycott the Eurovision Song Contest
• UN Human Rights Committee Gives Russia 6 Months to Justify Gay Picket Ban in Moscow
• Russia: Moscow Mayor Allows Anti Gay Pride Action but Bans Slavic Pride
• Russia: Lesbians to Attempt First Gay Marriage in Russia
• Russian Gay Activists Unveil Plans for Their Slavic Pride on Eurovision