Igor Mikhaylov - the Ombudsman in Saint-Petersburg will keep a close look over gay and lesbian rights' violations.
"Any sexual minorities' rights violation will not be set aside just because they have the same citizenship as I do", said Igor Mikhaylov during his meeting with Igor Petrov - Chairman of the National interregional public organization "Russian LGBT Network" and Gulya Sultanova - Executive director of "Side by side" LGBT film festival, reports Gaynews.ru project (automatic translation here).
Several actual LGBT issues were discussed during the meeting, such as: the practice of human rights violations and sexual orientation and/or gender identity discrimination facts in Saint-Petersburg, the ways to protect LGBT people from these violations. All sides have agreed to start necessary procedures for signing an Agreement on cooperation between the Russian LGBT Network and Saint-Petersburg's Ombudsman. Many different activities could be carried out in its framework, among them are the monitoring of judicial and other state bodies' practice on LGBT issues and gay rights' violations, information exchange on a regular basis and other mutual activities.
Earlier this year in July 2009 the representatives of the Russian LGBT Network met Vladimir Lukin - the National Ombudsman, who stated that gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people enjoy the same volume of rights as other people do. "If the rights of a specific group of people are being violated on the grounds of their sexual orientation, we are ready to defend their rights", stressed Mr. Lukin.
Translated by Yerdna Bananes