The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has publicly stated that it
will oppose plans in Russia to implement new anti-gay law.
Lawmakers in the city of St Petersburg has proposed legislation
which bans the promotion of 'gay propaganda' - a move led by the
governing United Russia party. It has been condemned by LGBT rights
organisations across the world.
The law would see people or organisations fined up to £1,000 for
the so-called "promotion" of homosexuality, and stands alongside
identical bans on 'propaganda' for paedophilia.
It would also put a blanket ban on gay Pride events, which has
been a contentious issue in recent years.
But today, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have said that
action will be taken to halt it.
The FCO stated: "The message of this law, that homosexuality is
unacceptable, let alone in any way similar to a crime like
paedophilia, is wrong. It goes against European and Russian
commitments to human rights, including the guarantee of
non-discrimination set out in the European Convention on Human
Rights."
Lance Price, Director of the Kaleidoscope Trust, welcomed the
support. He said: "International pressure on the authorities is
working and the intervention of the FCO is greatly welcomed.
Consideration of the bill in the St Petersburg legislature has now
been delayed by a week.
"We hope that our government, in conjunction with others around
the world, will maintain the pressure to ensure that this
pernicious legislation, which is already in force in two parts of
the Russian federation, goes no further. It's scope is much wider
that Britain's notorious section 28 and would have a massive impact
on the rights of LGBT people."
