NEWS: Anti-Gay Crisis In Russia

<p>A disturbing trend of violence towards the LGBT community seems to be sweeping through Russia including the brutal murders of at least 2 gay men in just a few weeks. AllOut.org have initiated a new petition asking the Russian President to eliminate anti-gay legislation</p> <p>by Newsdesk | 8th June 2013</p><p></p><p> </p><p><img src="http://www.thegayuk.com/communities/8/004/009/928/388/images/4593650975.jpg" width="459" height="269" alt="Russia: AllOut.org" title="Russia: AllOut.org"/></p> <p></p><p>Over 26,000 people have already signed the ALLOUT petition, which asks President Putin to end all anti-gay laws and bills.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.allout.org/russia-attacks">SIGN THE PETITION NOW</a></p><p></p><p>The petition reads:</p><p></p><p></p><p>TO PRESIDENT PUTIN, RUSSIAN POLITICIANS AND ALL WORLD LEADERS:</p><p></p><p>We stand with citizens across Russia who are calling on their government to stop the crackdown against lesbian, gay, bi and trans people that is fuelling anti-gay violence. </p><p></p><p>We urge leaders around the world and within Russia to work to eliminate all anti-gay laws and protect all citizens from violence and discrimination in Russia.</p><p></p><p></p><p>CRISIS IN RUSSIA</p><p></p><p>Crisis in Russia: two brutal murders for being gay within weeks. One man was stabbed to death by neighbours, and a younger man was beaten to death with rocks after coming out.</p><p></p><p>The rise in attacks is happening as President Putin wages war on gays and lesbians. His government has banned Pride marches and is trying to bring in a new anti-gay law. And this Tuesday, a major Russian gay organisation will go on trial to fight closure.</p><p></p><p>Putin is getting away with the crackdown because there’s little international media attention and no real pressure from other world leaders.</p><p></p><p>But if we start with a massive petition, we can work to get the crisis on the to do list of every world leader and onto the front pages of newspapers. </p><p></p><p>Can you sign before the trial on Tuesday? </p><p></p><p>Putin has shown he’s sensitive to international pressure about his treatment of gay and lesbians. When he visited the Netherlands recently, he was greeted by a big protest and media coverage.</p><p></p><p>He was later forced to claim publicly that he doesn’t support discrimination. Russian human rights workers told the All Out office team that this led directly to their finally being given a meeting with the Ombudsman for Human Rights - a big boost to their work. </p><p></p><p>Sign now and share the petition with friends and family:</p><p><a href="http://www.allout.org/russia-attacks">http://www.allout.org/russia-attacks</a></p><p></p><p>President Putin thinks gays and lesbians are an easy target to help him crackdown on human rights and democracy, in his quest to hold on to power. He sees them as a tiny minority who can't fight back.</p><p></p><p>But what if instead of facing only the handful of people in Russia brave enough to stand up to terrifying violence and state power, he faced a movement of millions of us?</p><p></p><p>We’ve spoken up together about Russia before, but All Out has grown fast in the last two years. There are now 1.6 million of us in every country in the world - and there’s nothing we can’t do together for love.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Related </p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.thegayuk.com/null">NEWS: 'Gay Cure' App Still Available On Google Play Despite 91000 Signatures</a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p> </p>