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Gay rights activists march during a traditional May Day rally in St.Petersburg earlier this year AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky

Protest to take place at Russian embassy in Dublin over 'anti-gay laws'

The signing of a controversial law which prohibits the dissemination of so-called ‘homosexual propaganda’ to minors in Russia has been widely criticised.

A PROTEST WILL take place outside the Russian embassy in Dublin this evening amid growing unease with the country’s new law which outlaws ‘homosexual propaganda’.

The new legislation signed into law by president Vladimir Putin recently criminalises the dissemination of information about homosexuality to minors with fines over €100 levied on citizens who engage in this.

Critics believe the new law could legitimise homophobia and tonight’s protest at the embassy in Rathgar is aimed at pressuring Irish and other European authorities to lobby Russia to repeal the law.

Organiser Emma Ryan said: “People gay, straight, bisexual, trans, queer are horrified by the stories and pictures they see coming out of Russia. We cannot stand by silently and allow them to continue in their persecution of the LGBT community.”

Earlier this month actor Stephen Fry wrote a passionate open letter to Olympics organisers in a bid to have them move the Winter Games in the Russian city of Sochi next year to another venue in protest over the new law.

More: Stephen Fry compares Putin to Hitler, calls for Olympics to be moved from Russia

Read: Putin signs new laws punishing people for “homosexual propoganda”

Read: Horrific murder fuels fears of rising homophobia in Russia

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Hugh O'Connell
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