Russia: Five gay rights protesters detained following Red Square demonstration

Police in Moscow detained five gay rights activists on Sunday for holding a demonstration against Russia’s recently introduced anti-gay legislation.

The Moscow Times reports that five activists were held by police after staging a demonstration at Russia’s Red Square, due to the fact that the activists did not have a permit for the rally.

The demonstrators lit flares and held up rainbow-coloured posters which read “Homophobia is riffraffs’ religion.”

The upper house of the Russian Parliament voted last month to approve both a bill banning adoption of Russian children by foreign same-sex couples and the nationwide anti-”propaganda” bill banning the promotion of “non-traditional” relationships to minors.

Earlier in June the Duma, or lower parliamentary house, unanimously voted 443-0 to approve a draft law to ban adoption of Russian orphans by foreign same-sex couples, as well as related amendments to Russian family law.

The bills, which have since been signed by President Vladimir Putin, bans foreign same-sex couples and unmarried individuals in countries where same-sex marriage is legal from adopting Russian children.

Other protesters have been detained since the laws were passed, as two weeks ago four demonstrators were held in similar circumstances, also in Russia. 

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