BREAKING: MOSCOW PRIDE BANNED FOR 100 YEARS

Russia’s crackdown on gays and lesbians continues as a Moscow court rules that Pride events in the city can be banned for the next 100 years.

The ruling came after Moscow Pride organisers applied last year for a license from the city to hold Pride for the next century; from March 2012 till May 2112. (The city has refused to allow Moscow Pride to take place for the last seven years.)

The city ignored the request. Activists took the matter to the courts saying that this was effectively a refusal to grant them a license for a 100 years. The Tverskoy district court ruled against them and the activists appealed.

On Thursday, according to Interfax and Gayrussia.ru, the Moscow City Court rejected the appeal and upheld the judgement; effectively ruling that the city’s ban on Pride events for the next 100 years is lawful.

Leading Russian LGBT rights activist Nikolay Alekseyev said that he would again appeal the decision and would ultimately take the matter to the European Court of Human Rights if needed.

The European Court, however, already ruled in 2010 that Moscow’s ban on Pride events was discriminatory but the Russian authorities have simply ignored the judgment.

Just over a week ago, Moscow police arrested 40 LGBT activists who attempted to hold two peaceful Pride demonstrations in the capital city.

Moscow legislators are also said to be planning to follow in the footsteps of the country’s second largest city, St. Petersburg, by banning “homosexual propaganda” which would further outlaw any public gay or lesbian events.