Moscow Pride members Nikolai Baev and Irina Fet were found guilty April 6 of violating a local law in Russia’s Ryazan region that bans exposing minors to homosexual propaganda. They deliberately violated the law March 30 by carrying pro-gay signs near a

The European Parliament’s Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights has praised the Parliament’s recent adoption of two reports. A report on “Rights of EU citizens and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States” calls on member nations to recognize the freedom of movement of all European Union citizens, including same-sex partners.

A second report backs the European Commission’s Equality Treatment Directive proposal, which would outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation and other factors in housing, health care, education, social benefits and protections, and access to goods and services.
Employment discrimination based on sexual orientation already is prohibited by EU law.

“We warmly welcome both reports,” said Intergroup President Michael Cashman. “When extremism is on the rise throughout Europe, we must speak out for those who suffer inequality, harassment and outright discrimination every single day. Now it is up to the (European Union’s) Council to once and for all end the hierarchy of discrimination in Europe and affirm that all Europeans must be equally protected.”

Landmark Hungarian Gay-Rights Case Settled
The Hungarian Equal Treatment Authority has issued its first decision in a sexual-orientation discrimination case, fining a dance studio 200,000 forints ($914) for denying membership to an openly gay man. The ETA was created in 2005 following passage of the Act on Equal Treatment and Promotion of Equal Opportunities, which bans anti-gay discrimination in employment, education, housing, health care, social security and access to goods and services.

The studio has an opportunity to appeal the decision.

Russian Activists Found Guilty Of Violating Gay-Propaganda Ban
Moscow Pride members Nikolai Baev and Irina Fet were found guilty April 6 of violating a local law in the Ryazan region that bans exposing minors to homosexual propaganda. Baev and Fet were part of a small group of activists who deliberately violated the law March 30 by carrying pro-gay signs near a school and library in downtown Ryazan, which is 200 km (120 miles) southeast of Moscow.

They were fined 1,500 rubles ($45) each.

Moscow Pride head Nikolai Alekseev said the picket was “a necessary step” to set the stage for challenging the law before the Constitutional Court.

Samoa Bans ‘Milk’
The Samoa Film Control Board has banned the award-winning movie ‘Milk’ in the South Pacific island nation. The move came after a movie shop submitted the film for approval and a rating. No explanation was given for the decision.

-assistance: Bill Kelley