St. Petersburg court rules Russian gay advocacy group is a ‘foreign agent’

Citing the Russian laws against homosexual propaganda, and rules governing NGOs that receive foreign funding, a St. Petersburg court has ruled that the Russian LGBT advocacy group called Vykhod (Coming Out) must register itself as a "foreign agent."

The group is a member of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) located in Geneva, Switzerland, and is linked with the LGBT Network based in Scotland.

According to Vykhod's Facebook page, Judge Naidyonova of the Vasileostrovsky District Court of St Petersburg ruled the group is a foreign agent because it is "engaged in political activities on behalf of foreign countries," and is in violation of the laws against homosexual propaganda because its activities and publications discriminate against “persons with traditional sexual orientation.”

Legislation passed in November 2013 states that a Russian NGO that receives any funding from abroad and is involved in political activities is to register as a “foreign agent.”  (more...)

St. Petersburg court rules Russian gay advocacy group is a ‘foreign agent’