The Russian LGBT Network pronounces 2009 to be memorial year for the gay and lesbian victims of political repressions
On December 17, 1993, a Decree by the All-Russian Central Executive Committee was published, which became Law on March 7, 1934 (Article 121 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialistic Republic (CC of the RSFSR)). According to this Law, voluntary sexual relations between adult men were pronounced criminal.
The basis for the persecutions of gays and lesbians was that "such people should have no place in the Soviet society" (N. Krylenko, the People’s Commissar for Justice). Homosexuality was considered by the Soviet powers as an "ideologically alien" and politically dangerous phenomenon akin to belief in God or the "anti-Soviet propaganda." Thus, homosexuals were considered to be public enemy, on par with "representatives of the exploiter classes," believers in God, and with other nonconformists - all those who are considered victims of political repressions today.
According to the letter and intent of the Law of the Russian Federation "Concerning rehabilitation of the victims of political repressions", those repressed by the Article 121, Section 1 of the CC of the RSFSR are no less entitled to rehabilitation than others who suffered for their "anti-Soviet" views and lifestyle. However, having abolished the calamitous Article 121, the Russian State still made no apology to the ones it persecuted from 1934 to 1993.
According to incomplete data, around 250 000 people were convicted under the Article 121 in the USSR. Thousands more men and women who were subjected to compulsory "treatment" from homosexuality should also be added to this number. The number of victims of the terror against those who love differently is not limited to those who served time in prisons and nut-houses. There were also millions of people whose lives were crippled by fear. This medieval savagery of the 20th century robbed them of hope for happiness in personal life and condemned them to loneliness.
The Russian LGBT Network pronounces 2009 to be memorial year for the gay and lesbian victims of political repressions. Our goal is to restore the historic justice and seek official recognition as victims of political repressions for those who were repressed under the Article 121, Section 1 of the CC of the RSFSR. To reach this goal, we intend to seek the introduction of respective modifications into the existing legislation and to launch a public campaign with the goal of explaining our position.
On December 17, 1993, a Decree by the All-Russian Central Executive Committee was published, which became Law on March 7, 1934 (Article 121 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialistic Republic (CC of the RSFSR)). According to this Law, voluntary sexual relations between adult men were pronounced criminal. The basis for the persecutions of gays and lesbians was that "such people should have no place in the Soviet society" (N. Krylenko, the People’s Commissar for Justice). Homosexuality was considered by the Soviet powers as an "ideologically alien" and politically dangerous phenomenon akin to belief in God or the "anti-Soviet propaganda." Thus, homosexuals were considered to be public enemy, on par with "representatives of the exploiter classes," believers in God, and with other nonconformists - all those who are considered victims of political repressions today.
According to the letter and intent of the Law of the Russian Federation "Concerning rehabilitation of the victims of political repressions", those repressed by the Article 121, Section 1 of the CC of the RSFSR are no less entitled to rehabilitation than others who suffered for their "anti-Soviet" views and lifestyle. However, having abolished the calamitous Article 121, the Russian State still made no apology to the ones it persecuted from 1934 to 1993.
According to incomplete data, around 250 000 people were convicted under the Article 121 in the USSR. Thousands more men and women who were subjected to compulsory "treatment" from homosexuality should also be added to this number. The number of victims of the terror against those who love differently is not limited to those who served time in prisons and nut-houses. There were also millions of people whose lives were crippled by fear. This medieval savagery of the 20th century robbed them of hope for happiness in personal life and condemned them to loneliness.
The Russian LGBT Network pronounces 2009 to be memorial year for the gay and lesbian victims of political repressions. Our goal is to restore the historic justice and seek official recognition as victims of political repressions for those who were repressed under the Article 121, Section 1 of the CC of the RSFSR. To reach this goal, we intend to seek the introduction of respective modifications into the existing legislation and to launch a public campaign with the goal of explaining our position.
