U.S. reps ask Putin to condemn Russian gay-bashing

Fifty members of Congress from both parties joined in sending a letter to Russian president Vladimir Putin on Friday, urging him to condemn the antigay violence that occurred during pride celebrations in Moscow in May. The letter (reproduced below) accuses Yuri Luzhkov, the mayor of Moscow, of encouraging the violence by refusing to issue a parade permit and by announcing that the city's law enforcement forces would be unable to protect the marchers.

Gay Massachusetts congressman Barney Frank was the driving force behind the letter, and he was joined by fellow out representatives Tammy Baldwin and Jim Kolbe as well as 47 others.

Putin has made no public statements about the violence or about the rights of LGBT Russians in general. "It would be particularly appropriate for President Putin to speak out against these attacks and help prevent future abuses," Frank said in a statement, "now that Russia holds the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers within the Council of Europe, a body dedicated to defending human rights and promoting rule of law." (Advocate.com)

The letter follows:

June 30, 2006

His Excellency Vladimir V. Putin
President of the Russian Federation
4 Staraya Square
Moscow 103132 Russia

Dear President Putin,

We write as members of the United States Congress to express our dismay over the riots and violence against gay and lesbian marchers in Moscow during a gay pride parade in late May.

It seems to us evident that any government of the people would seek to protect all people, so we were very disappointed that Moscow mayor Luzhkov claimed in denying the parade permit that he would not be able to ensure the safety of the marchers.

We believe that the mayor's public statements and his banning of the parade itself--as well as the fact that provocative and violently anti-gay statements by religious leaders and others went unrepudiated by elected officials--helped create a situation in which violence against gay and lesbian people was in fact more likely to happen, if not inevitable.

In fact, given reports that some police stood by while gay and lesbian marchers were attacked, it is difficult for us to believe that the police were unable to protect the marchers, but instead were simply unwilling to do so.

We hope you agree that violence against people based on sexual orientation--people who are doing no harm to anyone else--is outrageous and not acceptable. We urge you to publicly make clear this sentiment to those who would seek to do harm to gay and lesbian individuals, to public officials and civil leaders who provoke or inadequately respond to such violence, and to the gay and lesbian citizens of Moscow and beyond who deserve to live, gather and associate without fear of violence.

REP. BARNEY FRANK
REP. SHERWOOD BOEHLERT
REP. STENY H. HOYER
REP. TOM LANTOS
REP. MICHAEL N. CASTLE
REP. JAMES A. LEACH
REP. NITA M. LOWEY
REP. GARY L. ACKERMAN
REP. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS
REP. CAROLYN B. MALONEY
REP. JOSEPH CROWLEY
REP. DENNIS J. KUCINICH
REP. JAMES P. McGOVERN
REP. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN
REP. JERROLD NADLER
REP. LOIS CAPPS
REP. MICHAEL R. McNULTY
REP. DONALD M. PAYNE
REP. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY
REP. RUBÉN HINOJOSA
REP. SAM FARR
REP. TAMMY BALDWIN
REP. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD
REP. RUSH D. HOLT
REP. LUIS V. GUTIERREZ
REP. MARTIN T. MEEHAN
REP. FRANK PALLONE JR.
REP. EDOLPHUS TOWNS
REP. PETER A. DeFAZIO
REP. STENY H. HOYER
REP. JIM KOLBE
REP. HOWARD L. BERMAN
REP. ROBERT WEXLER
REP. MAXINE WATERS
REP. EARL BLUMENAUER
REP. ELIOT L. ENGEL
REP. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN
REP. RAÚL M. GRIJALVA
REP. MARY BONO
REP. CAROLYN McCARTHY
REP. JIM McDERMOTT
REP. SHERROD BROWN
REP. BARBARA LEE
REP. KENDRICK B. MEEK
REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ
REP. GWEN MOORE
REP. ZOE LOFGREN
REP. JOHN W. OLVER
REP. LINDA T. SÁNCHEZ
REP. WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT

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