Crimea ‘does not need gays’, says most senior politician
The top official in Crimea has said that gay people “have no chance” there, and that the peninsula does “not need such people.”
De factor Crimean leader Sergei Aksyonov made the comments yesterday speaking to Interfax and Itar-Tass during a government session.
He said: “We in Crimea do not need such people.”
Continuing to say what would happen if the LGBT community attempted to hold a public gathering, he said: “Our police and self-defence forces will react immediately and in three minutes will explain to them what kind of sexual orientation they should stick to.”
Askyonov also said that children in Crimea should be raised “with a positive attitude to family and traditional values.”
Following the Russian annexation of Crimea, LGBT people are now subjected to the Russia anti-gay law signed by President Vladimir Putin last June.
The law bans the promotion of “non-tradition sexual relationships” to minors.
A pride event in Sebastopol was banned following application of the law. It had been set to take place on 22-23 April.
