Petrelis Files

HRC, Gay Russians' Replies on Aug 11 Pleas

Earlier this week I both called and emailed staffers at the Human Rights Campaign in Washington to ask what, if anything, America's largest gay rights groups would do on August 11 in support of demonstrations around the globe against the death penalty and Iran's recent execution of two teenagers, who may have been gay.

Here is the reply from HRC: "_______________________."

Yes, silence has been HRC's reply to my questions about their possible involvement with actions on August 11.

Compare HRC's silence and inaction about the public hangings of the teenagers in Iran last month with the response below from our gay brothers and sisters in Russia.

While I am extremely disappointed in HRC's lack of a response, it gives me great pleasure knowing gays in Russia have spoken out and taken several actions over the executions in Iran.

Maybe one day HRC will wise up, oppose the death penalty in general, and work on death penalty cases around the world involving gays. Heck, it would also be fantastic for HRC to learn lessons in courage from the brave Russian gays who will not be silent about antigay abuses.

^^^

August 10, 2005

Dear Michael and all our friends,

We did all we could for attracting attention to the executions in Iran. We did an interview from inside Iran with the acting gay activists. It can be found here:
Gay Russia site.

We sent letters to President Putin and to the Iranian Ambassador in Russia on 23rd July, almost right after the executions and the news came out. The news on that is here:
Gay Russia site.

We also conducted a special press conference on the issue of Iran executions of children and for the so called crime of homosexuality. The news on the press conference given on 28th July is here:
Gay Russia site.

Photos from the press conference in Moscow on Iran can be found in the Russian version of the article. On the photos me, Nikolai Alekseev, and Evgeniya Debryanskaya, lesbian activist. Of course these photos can be used for your reports or news releases.
Gay Russia site.

We got the news on that and the letters we sent published in the central papers in Russia and by the news agencies. It is already unbelievable as nothing of the kind happened in Russia. We havent got any responces to the letters yet but they might come one day.

We will hardly be able to conduct a protest near the Iranian Embassy in Moscow as we need a special authorisation for that according to the law and it takes time to get it and I doubt the authorities will give it taking into account the topic of the protest.

That is why we did this press conference and it was one of the first of its kind on the issue of Iran in the world. So, please do not hesitate to use any of the info I gave to you about our actions in Russia. We will not be able to do more as we already did all we could. The news is out and the authorities are aware. We can only hope for their reaction.

At the same time we continue to follow the story on Iran and we publish all the information on the this event on our website. We just published the news about the protests that will take place tomorrow in 5 cities and also what happened in Amsterdam on Saturday. I think there was really a lot done and we are very glad that we managed to unite in this fight against barbarism in Iran. We have to be closer to act together on many other events as well. It will make the progress of gay emancipation much faster.

You can always rely on us in all undertakings!!!
Always ready to help with everything.

Yours,
Nikolai
GayRussia.Ru
nicolas_alexeyev@yahoo.com