Russia confirms anti-gay law will be enforced during Olympics

MOSCOW– Russia’s Interior Ministry confirmed today that the country’s controversial anti-gay law will be enforced during the Sochi 2014 Olympics. Ria Novosti reports that confusion has reigned over how the country intends to act during the February 7-23 Winter Games after President Vladimir Putin signed legislation in June that bans the promotion of homosexuality to…

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Russian government states anti-gay legislation ‘will not affect those attending or taking part in the Games’

WASHINGTON – Friday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) released a statement to Russian news outlets responding to growing international fear about the safety of LGBT individuals and allies living in Russia or traveling to Russia for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.  The fear and outrage is rooted in the recent crackdown on…

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Russian LGBT film festival – ‘Side by Side’ – charged as ‘foreign agent’

Despite incontrovertible evidence to the contrary, Russia’s LGBT film festival Side by Side (Bok o Bok) was found guilty of and fined $10,000 for failing to register as a ‘foreign agent.’ The fledgling organization, which was established in 2007, met the new guidelines according to prosecutor V.V Stepanchenko despite the fact that the law, established…

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