Prominent LGBT rights activist Nikolai Alexeyev has been fined $375 for organizing an unsanctioned gay parade in the center of Moscow, a report said Monday.
Alexeyev, 37, was handed the 20,000 ruble fine ($373) by the Tverskoi District Court, which found him guilty of organizing an LGBT parade in the Russian capital on May 30 without the consent of the authorities, the Gay Russia news site reported.
Two days after the parade, the Tverskoi District Court handed down a 10-day jail sentence to Alexeyev for disobeying police orders. Activists Vadim Gruzdev and Yevgeny Gerasimov, who joined Alexeyev at the parade along Tverskaya Ulitsa, were jailed for similar offenses, Gay Russia reported.
Russian lawmakers passed a law in 2012 banning the promotion of gay propaganda to minors. That same year, Moscow authorities enacted a 100-year ban on gay parades — a decision that was later upheld by the city's top court, the BBC reported.
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.
