The Moscow City Court has upheld a decision to turn down the LGBT activists’ request for permission to hold gay pride parades for the next 100 years.

      The ban came after Moscow gay activists submitted requests to the City Hall to hold 102 gay pride parades up until 2112. It was made because of a loophole in the law they found, which only determines the deadline for submitting rally applications (no later than 30-45 days before the event), but does not state how far in advance events can be submitted. As expected, Moscow City Court dismissed the request.

      Nikolay Alekseyev, one of the leaders of the Russian LGBT community and organizer of gay pride events, told the press the activists never hoped to actually receive a license for the parade but simply needed a formal excuse to turn to the European Human Rights Court in Strasbourg.

      “They refuse our requests every time, but in Strasbourg they recognize these rulings as unlawful. But time does not stand still, we ask for a new event and again they refuse us,” the activist said.

      This year the Russian government started an active campaign against so-called gay propaganda – a special law was approved and signed into force in St. Petersburg.

      Nikolay Alekseev was the first to be fined 5,000 rubles ($170) under the new law in St. Petersburg after he was detained for picketing outside St. Petersburg's legislature building in April in protest at what he described as the "homophobic" new law.

      However, Moscow gay rights activists have managed to find a way to the streets recently. An authorized March of Burning Hearts took place in Moscow on June 3, 2012, gathering about 70 people, who marched on one of Moscow’s quays under rainbow banners calling for  freedom of assembly and organization for sexual minorities.

Sources: New Region RIA Novosti RT Image: utro.ru