RUSSIA: Gay Russian couple barred from marriage

Record ID: 277827

  • Title: RUSSIA: Gay Russian couple barred from marriage
  • Date: 13th May 2009
  • Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (FILE 2006) (REUTERS) (QUALITY AS INCOMING) POLICE BARRICADE GAY ACTIVIST PETER TATCHELL HOLDING GAY RIGHTS POSTER, WOMAN ATTACKS HIM AND THROWS WATER OVER HIM, MAN ATTACKS HIM AND HE IS PUSHED TO THE GROUND, POLICE MOVE IN TO STOP FIGHT ANTI-GAY PROTESTER CALLING ON GOD TO BLESS RUSSIA TATCHELL BEING LED AWAY BY POLICE POLICE ARRESTING GAY ACTIVISTS POLICE
  • Embargoed: 28th May 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Legal System,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVADVX9FBKJ2Z8LSV0FNU39MQDUH
  • Story Text: A lesbian couple's bid to marry is rejected by Moscow registry office as gay activists condemn homophobia in Russia and anti-gay campaigners describe a planned gay parade as "spiritual terrorism".
    A lesbian couple defied deep-rooted homophobia on Tuesday (May 12) in what is believed to be the first attempt at gay marriage in Russia.
    Moscow couple Irina Shepitko, 32, and her partner Irina Fyet, 30, arrived at the 'SAKS' registry office in Moscow wearing black and white tuxedo outfits and carrying bouquets.
    Irina Shepitko runs her own fashion business and Irina Fyet works in PR in the Russian capital. But the couple had no luck with officialdom and their request to register themselves for an official marriage was quickly turned down.
    As the pair walked through the cramped offices of 'Zaks' they were followed by journalists and news media from around the world.
    The reason given for the rejection was simple, in Russian law marriage can only take place between members of the opposite sex.
    Fyet and Shepitko posed for photographs with their rejection document, read out by Russian gay activist Nikolai Alexeyev.
    Issues around gay rights in Russia have surfaced this week, ahead of a 'Gay Pride' parade planned to coincide with the final of the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday (May 16).
    Moscow authorities have not approved the march in the Russian capital and mayor Yuri Luzhkov once described gay pride marches as "satanic".
    Alexeyev linked the homophobia of Russia's authorities to a generally poor record on human rights.
    "It's the very big influence of the Russian Orthodox church which the authorities rely on very much and there is of course the homophobia of the Moscow mayor so there are lots of different reasons why it happens like that (official opposition to the gay parade on May 16) but also Russia is not so keen on recognising the rights of any minorities, and as you can see there are attacks on many minorities in this country and that's the general problem of the respect for democracy and human rights in this country," said Alexeyev, speaking outside the 'ZAKS ' office.
    Anti-gay groups on Tuesday condemned plans to hold the gay march.
    "We regard the gay parade planned for May 16 as an act of spiritual terrorism, in its most open and aggressive form", said Dmitry Terekhov, representative of the 'Society for Orthodox Youth' at a briefing in Moscow.
    Three years ago, police, militant orthodox Christians and neo-facists attacked and broke up the first gay rights march to be held in Moscow.
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