The Russian city’s Legislative Assembly has adopted today a law that makes any public reference to homosexuality a legal offense.
The law prohibits the so-called propaganda of "sodomy, lesbianism, bisexualism and transgenderism" to minors, equating it with pedophilia
Similar laws have already been adopted and implemented in other Russia’s cities and regions: 2006 in Ryazan (2006), in Arkhangelsk (2011) and in Kostroma region (2011). There are now serious concerns that this might open the door to the adoption of similar legislation at the federal level.
Says St Petersburg LGBT organisation ’Coming Out’ : "Besides laying the ground for legalized harassment and violations of human rights of LGBT, Russia is blatantly ignoring its federal law, the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention for Human Rights, the Council of Europe Recommendations and other decrees, as well as opinions of numerous Russian and international experts – lawyers, psychiatrists, sociologists – who point out the complete lack of scientific evidence or sociological data behind its assumptions."
The day before, the social activism network AllOut.org had launched a renewed desperate attempt to pressurize the local Assembly to renounce the legislation, but in vain.
Many analysts consider this legislation to be a smoke screen to detract the attention from the increased focus that citizens pay to local and national corruption cases and to democracy abuse matters.
LGBT activists, their friends and colleagues, members of Russian and international human rights community and civil society, are continuing to campaign and raise the issue with St. Petersburg governor Poltavchenko and Russian politicians at federal level.
On May 17 LGBT activists of St. Petersburg, the city where the notorious "propaganda of homosexuality" law was recently adopted, held an officially authorized peaceful manifestation dedicated to the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia.
IDAHO in St. Petersburg Celebrated Despite Attacks
Today St. Petersburg LGBT community commemorated International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia by holding an officially authorized mass rally.
Over 300 people gathered in Petrovsky (...) 
On May 17, LGBT people, their parents and children, friends and peers in many cities around the world are letting colorful balloons fly in the sky as a symbolic move to combat homophobia in commemoration of IDAHO.
On May 17, LGBT people, their parents and children, friends and peers in many cities around the world are letting colorful balloons fly in the sky as a symbolic move to combat homophobia in commemoration of IDAHO. RainbowFlash is taking place in:
Russia:
Tyumen, Tomsk, Omsk, (...) 
Writing on her Facebook page yesterday, the queen of pop promised “to support the gay community and to give strength and inspiration to any one who is or feels oppressed.”
Writing on her Facebook page yesterday, the queen of pop promised “to support the gay community and to give strength and inspiration to any one who is or feels oppressed.” Describing herself as a “freedom fighter,” she said she will “speak during (her) show about this ridiculous atrocity.”
Just two days earlier, the (...) 
For the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia 2011, the international photo project "Walk with Pride" developed by Charles ’Chad’ Meacham and Sarah Baxter goes global.
The exhibition was shown simultaneously in more than 20 locations around the world, including at the European Parliament.
Find out more about Walk With Pride
Taipei (...) 
The Russian Rainbow-flashmob initiative lead to initiatives in some 30 locations around the country, through formal and informal events.
In St Petersburg, some 150 people responded to the call from the organisation “Coming Out LGBT” to celebrate IDAHO and protest against the discrimination faced by LGBT people and their families. Event slogans included: “Different people – same values,” “Born to be ourselves,” “Parental love does not depend on the orientation of their children,” and (...) 
