- Title: Amnesty protests against homophobia in front of Eiffel Tower ahead of Putin visit
- Date: 29th May 2017
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MAY 29, 2017) (REUTERS) LGBTI ACTIVISTS IN FRONT OF EIFFEL TOWER HOLDING AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL BANNER READING (French): "Put a stop to homophobia in Chechnya" BANNER AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ACTIVISTS TAKING PHOTOS GAY MEN IN EMBRACE HOLDING BANNER FACES OF MEN (SOUNDBITE) (French) AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL FRANCE VICE-PRESIDENT, CECILE COUDRIOU, SAYING: "What is particularly worrying is that the terrible persecutions which gay people in Chechnya are victims of at the moment are encouraged by the authorities themselves. There is total impunity. It seems that Mr. (President of Chechnya Ramzan) Kadyrov, however much he's subject to Mr. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's control, thinks that anything goes, so the message today is to ask Mr. (French President Emmanuel) Macron to take advantage of Mr. Putin's visit to tell him very firmly that this abuse, these persecutions, must stop, it is absolutely unacceptable." VARIOUS OF FRONT PAGE OF FRENCH DAILY NEWSPAPER "LIBERATION" READING (French): "Macron - The Putin test" MEN HOLDING BANNER KISSING MEN KISSING
- Embargoed: 12th June 2017 09:46
- Keywords: Macron Amnesty International visit Paris homophobia Chechnya Putin France Russia
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA0016IW5B9J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Amnesty International France and LGBTI activists unveiled a banner on Monday (May 29) in Paris, to protest against homophobia in Chechnya as Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Paris to meet with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.
Activists assembled in front of the Eiffel Tower to hold a banner reading: "Put a stop to homophobia in Chechnya", as the Russian president was set to meet Macron in the afternoon at the Palace of Versailles.
The two presidents will open an exhibition on Peter the Great, marking 300 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries, and hold a joint news conference.
Russia has come under scrutiny after reports that gay men were being tortured and killed in Chechnya and activists calling for an investigation were arrested by Russian police earlier this month.
Amnesty International in France's vice-president Cecile Coudriou said she hoped the French president would make the most of the meeting with Putin to ask him to put a stop to the "unacceptable" persecutions. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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