Victory for Pride Parades in Russia

Pride parades and protest marches are not illegal under controversial "gay propaganda" laws, Russia's highest court ruled.

Russia’s Supreme Court has ruled that gay pride parades and LGBT rights demonstrations do not violate controversial “gay propaganda” laws.

The court made the ruling in August, but it was not made public until this week, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reports. The case involved an antigay law passed by the Arkhangelsk Region’s legislature last year, but it apparently will apply to similar laws passed by the city of St. Petersburg and others. Several cities have declined to allow pride parades or other pro-gay demonstrations.

The laws prohibit “promotion of homosexuality” to minors, and the court upheld them but said they cover only the “direct promotion of homosexual relations,” not pride parades or public discussion of gay issues, RIA Novosti reports. “Informing minors about homosexual relations is also allowed as long as the information remains neutral in tone,” the news agency notes.