The Chairwoman of the Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights, Heidi Hautala MEP, sent a message to the participants of St Petersburg Pride.

In her supporting message, the Subcommittee Chair reminded organisers and participants of St Petersburg Pride that efforts were being made in the EU to bring more support to LGBT issues, and more generally human rights issues, in Russia.

[...] it is high time to acknowledge that LGBT issues need more concrete and visible support in Russia from EU. Instead of standing firmly behind these brave people I said that I have been informed that the Equality & St Petersburg Pride Organizing Committee finds it extremely difficult to get any support from the EU Embassies and that last month in Moscow, the EU representation as well as all the European Embassies denied any political support. I also asked if the Commission could explain why the EU representation has refused this support and adopted a line of inaction with regards these violations in the Russian Federation.

Despite informing the Subcommittee of the many things they have done to support the LGBT issues in Russia, I was left with a feeling that the EU can do much more to support courageous people like you.

The Intergroup had previously reacted to the ban of St Petersburg Pride.

Read more:

• Read the full message of Heidi Hautala MEP to St Petersburg Pride
• Website of the St Petersburg Pride