Gay Rights Activist Arrested at Moscow Airport

Nikolai Alekseev, one of the leading gay rights leaders in Moscow, was arrested last night at the Domodedevo Airport in Moscow as he was preparting to take a Swiss Air flight to Geneva. Nikolai was the founder of Moscow Pride.  His arrest appears to be meant to pressure him to drop a case pending before the European Court of Human Rights.  The case before the ECHR is a challenge to Moscow's denial of a pride parade in the Russian capital for the past five years.

The ECHR should take special note of this disturbing development when it rules on the complaint against Russia.

(mew)