CONTEMPORARY TIMELINE
April 8, 2013: Putin says at a press conference that "there is no infringement on the rights of sexual minorities...These people...enjoy all the same rights and freedoms as everyone else."
May 10 2013: Vladislav Tornovoy, a 23-year-old, is killed by his "friends" who torture him, sodomize him with beer bottles, and smash his head with a 44-pound stone after he admits he is gay. May 15, 2013: Moscow authorities refuse to allow a gay pride parade because, in the words of a city official, it is imperative to "work clearly and consistently on maintaining morality, oriented toward the teaching of patriotism in the growing generation, and not toward incomprehensible aspirations." May 25, 2013: Approximately thirty LGBTQ rights activists attempting to unfurl banners against homophobic legislation in front of Russia’s lower house of parliament are attacked by religious opposition and arrested for their demonstrations. June 11 2013: Parliament passes the law against "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations," which the bill's defenders define as "relations not conducive to procreation." The law imposes fines of up to $31,000 for providing information about the LGBTQ community to minors, holding gay pride events, speaking in defence of gay rights, or equating gay and heterosexual relationships. The bill applies to Russians and foreigners alike, as well as to media organizations. June 30 2013: President Vladimir Putin signs the law against "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations." July 3 2013: Putin signs a law that bans the adoption of Russian children by same-sex married couples and single people who live in countries where same-sex marriage is legal. |
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July 22 2013: Four tourists making a documentary about what it's like to be LGBTQ in Russia are arrested for spreading
"propaganda of non-traditional relationships among the under-aged" after talking to teens at a camp in the city of Murmansk.
July 28 2013: Vitaly Milonov, the Chairman of the St. Petersburg legislature's committee for legislation and the author of the city's
anti-propaganda bill, says the anti-propaganda bill will be applied to foreign athletes and visitors during the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
September 23 2013: Pussy Riot member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova initiates a hunger strike in protest of the deplorable conditions of her prison camp in Mordovia. She is transferred to a penal colony in the Siberian territory of Krasnoyarsk.
October 21 2013: Russian news agency Rosbalt loses its license for featuring videos with "obscene language," one of which featured a performance by Pussyriot.
November 5 2013: An investigation by Human Rights Watch exposes exploitation of migrant workers, evictions of local residents without fair compensation, and harassment of journalists and activists at the Sochi Games construction site.
December 8 2013: President Joachim Gauck of Germany is the first high-profile politician to boycott the Sochi Games. According to the head of Russia's foreign delegation Alexey Pushkov, "The German president Gauck has not criticised the killing of children and women in Pakistan and Afghanistan. But he is so critical of Russia that he doesn't even want to travel to Sochi." Though Gauck's decision is supported by celebrities such as Stephen Fry and Lady Gaga, other politicians argue that anti-LGBTQ policies is best combated through presence at international events.
December 30 2013: A video released by Human Rights Watch documents the isolation and environmental degradation of the village of Akhshtyr, where dirt construction roads have cut off inhabitants from essential services such as the school bus, clean water, and safe transportation. Residents complain about dust from construction sites, which they claim has seriously damaged the health of their families, livestock, and fruit crops.
February 2 2014: Blogger Alexander Valov is advised by local policeman to "Get out of Sochi before the Olympics begin." Valov has been the target of legal persecution since the publication of blogsochi.ru, an online platform that allows 30 000 - 40 000 dissatisfied Russian citizens to discuss the upcoming Winter Games.
February 4 2014: Human Rights Watch releases videos of anti-LGBTQ hate crimes occurring in Russia. “By turning a blind eye to hateful homophobic rhetoric and violence, Russian authorities are sending a dangerous message... that there is nothing wrong with attacks on gay people.”
February 6 2014: UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon releases a statement condemning oppressive, anti-LGBTQ policies. According to Moon. "Many professional athletes, gay and straight, are speaking out against prejudice. We must all raise our voices against attacks on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex people." The sentiments of the international community are echoed by statements from Olympics sponsor AT&T and the pride-coloured Google doodle that marks the beginning of the Sochi Winter Games.
February 8 2014: The cancellation of a TV station that criticized President Putin sparks angry protests in Moscow's Red Square. Dozens of umbrella-wielding protesters are arrested for "[protecting] the freedom of media in our country."
February 12 2014: Foreign journalists fear that the Russian government is monitoring their communication systems through the Sochi Wifi network.
February 19 2014: Members of Pussy Riot are beaten with horsewhips by Cossacks employed by the Russian government. On the same day, the IOC rejects a request that would have allowed Ukrainian athletes to wear black armbands to commemorate the victims of violent protests in Kiev.
February 20 2014: Some Ukrainian athletes, including alpine skier Bogdana Matsotska, leave Sochi in protest of violent uprisings in their home nation.
"propaganda of non-traditional relationships among the under-aged" after talking to teens at a camp in the city of Murmansk.
July 28 2013: Vitaly Milonov, the Chairman of the St. Petersburg legislature's committee for legislation and the author of the city's
anti-propaganda bill, says the anti-propaganda bill will be applied to foreign athletes and visitors during the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
September 23 2013: Pussy Riot member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova initiates a hunger strike in protest of the deplorable conditions of her prison camp in Mordovia. She is transferred to a penal colony in the Siberian territory of Krasnoyarsk.
October 21 2013: Russian news agency Rosbalt loses its license for featuring videos with "obscene language," one of which featured a performance by Pussyriot.
November 5 2013: An investigation by Human Rights Watch exposes exploitation of migrant workers, evictions of local residents without fair compensation, and harassment of journalists and activists at the Sochi Games construction site.
December 8 2013: President Joachim Gauck of Germany is the first high-profile politician to boycott the Sochi Games. According to the head of Russia's foreign delegation Alexey Pushkov, "The German president Gauck has not criticised the killing of children and women in Pakistan and Afghanistan. But he is so critical of Russia that he doesn't even want to travel to Sochi." Though Gauck's decision is supported by celebrities such as Stephen Fry and Lady Gaga, other politicians argue that anti-LGBTQ policies is best combated through presence at international events.
December 30 2013: A video released by Human Rights Watch documents the isolation and environmental degradation of the village of Akhshtyr, where dirt construction roads have cut off inhabitants from essential services such as the school bus, clean water, and safe transportation. Residents complain about dust from construction sites, which they claim has seriously damaged the health of their families, livestock, and fruit crops.
February 2 2014: Blogger Alexander Valov is advised by local policeman to "Get out of Sochi before the Olympics begin." Valov has been the target of legal persecution since the publication of blogsochi.ru, an online platform that allows 30 000 - 40 000 dissatisfied Russian citizens to discuss the upcoming Winter Games.
February 4 2014: Human Rights Watch releases videos of anti-LGBTQ hate crimes occurring in Russia. “By turning a blind eye to hateful homophobic rhetoric and violence, Russian authorities are sending a dangerous message... that there is nothing wrong with attacks on gay people.”
February 6 2014: UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon releases a statement condemning oppressive, anti-LGBTQ policies. According to Moon. "Many professional athletes, gay and straight, are speaking out against prejudice. We must all raise our voices against attacks on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex people." The sentiments of the international community are echoed by statements from Olympics sponsor AT&T and the pride-coloured Google doodle that marks the beginning of the Sochi Winter Games.
February 8 2014: The cancellation of a TV station that criticized President Putin sparks angry protests in Moscow's Red Square. Dozens of umbrella-wielding protesters are arrested for "[protecting] the freedom of media in our country."
February 12 2014: Foreign journalists fear that the Russian government is monitoring their communication systems through the Sochi Wifi network.
February 19 2014: Members of Pussy Riot are beaten with horsewhips by Cossacks employed by the Russian government. On the same day, the IOC rejects a request that would have allowed Ukrainian athletes to wear black armbands to commemorate the victims of violent protests in Kiev.
February 20 2014: Some Ukrainian athletes, including alpine skier Bogdana Matsotska, leave Sochi in protest of violent uprisings in their home nation.
Historical timeline
1922 - Following the Russian Revolution, the Communist Party eradicated Tsarist laws regarding sexual relations. Homosexuality then became legal and openly gay people could serve in government.
1933 - Joseph Stalin recriminalized homosexuality. Homosexuality was still viewed as a sin by the Russian Orthodox Church, and the recriminalization improved the Church’s relationship with the new government.
1958 - A surge of strict punishments and active censorship of the homosexual community began following the death of Stalin. Propaganda is released in coming years informing the population that homosexuals are a threat to society, to young Russians, and are to be reported to authorities.
1989 - The Moscow Gay and Lesbian Alliance is officially permitted to exist officially. This same year, a poll reveals that homosexuals are the most hated group in Russian society with 30% of those polled believing that homosexuals should be liquidated (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 1998).
1993 - Homosexual acts between consenting males is legalized. Gay and human rights organizations became more vocal during this time, advocating for LGBT rights, however the government largely ignored LGBT issues.
1999 - Homosexuality is officially removed from a list of mental disorders; Vladimir Putin comes into power as the Prime Minister of Russia.
2003 - Homosexuals are permitted to serve in the military but are urged to hide their sexuality for fear of being beaten by other soldiers and being openly discriminated against. Throughout much of the last century, public opinion has still been vehemently anti-homosexual.
2007 - Moscow Pride, a public demonstration of pride by the LGBT community, is banned by local government. The march is met with violence from anti-homosexual protesters and police fail to protect the activists.
2012 - Vladimir Putin wins a majority government in the presidential elections to become President of Russia for the third time
2013 - A nationwide law prohibiting the distribution of “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations” among minors is passed. This bill was rejected by parliament in 2009. The law effectively criminalizes and bans gay pride demonstrations, advocating for LGBT rights, or simply stating that a homosexual relationship is equal to a heterosexual relationship. 88% of Russians polled in 2013 were in favour of this law (All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion, 2013).
1933 - Joseph Stalin recriminalized homosexuality. Homosexuality was still viewed as a sin by the Russian Orthodox Church, and the recriminalization improved the Church’s relationship with the new government.
1958 - A surge of strict punishments and active censorship of the homosexual community began following the death of Stalin. Propaganda is released in coming years informing the population that homosexuals are a threat to society, to young Russians, and are to be reported to authorities.
1989 - The Moscow Gay and Lesbian Alliance is officially permitted to exist officially. This same year, a poll reveals that homosexuals are the most hated group in Russian society with 30% of those polled believing that homosexuals should be liquidated (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 1998).
1993 - Homosexual acts between consenting males is legalized. Gay and human rights organizations became more vocal during this time, advocating for LGBT rights, however the government largely ignored LGBT issues.
1999 - Homosexuality is officially removed from a list of mental disorders; Vladimir Putin comes into power as the Prime Minister of Russia.
2003 - Homosexuals are permitted to serve in the military but are urged to hide their sexuality for fear of being beaten by other soldiers and being openly discriminated against. Throughout much of the last century, public opinion has still been vehemently anti-homosexual.
2007 - Moscow Pride, a public demonstration of pride by the LGBT community, is banned by local government. The march is met with violence from anti-homosexual protesters and police fail to protect the activists.
2012 - Vladimir Putin wins a majority government in the presidential elections to become President of Russia for the third time
2013 - A nationwide law prohibiting the distribution of “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations” among minors is passed. This bill was rejected by parliament in 2009. The law effectively criminalizes and bans gay pride demonstrations, advocating for LGBT rights, or simply stating that a homosexual relationship is equal to a heterosexual relationship. 88% of Russians polled in 2013 were in favour of this law (All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion, 2013).