“There is no legislation in Russia to address and protect LGBT persons from discrimination or harassment,” says lawyer Nicolas Alexeyev, founder of GayRussia.RU., who is in Toronto with the couple. “There is very little support, public or legislative, for same-sex marriages in Russia.”

 

“This recent incident signals the need for increased awareness concerning international violations of LGBT human rights,” says Helen Kennedy, Executive Director of Egale Canada. “In the past few years, Moscow has banned Pride parades with the Mayor going as far as calling them ‘satanic’.

 

Egale Canada will be hosting the couple and facilitating the event.
Egale Canada is Canada’s LGBT human rights organization: advancing equality, diversity, education, and justice