Moscow court dismisses Alexeyev’s lawsuit

MOSCOW—A Moscow city court dismissed an appeal by gay rights activists Oct. 11 against a district court decision earlier this year rejecting their lawsuit against Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov.

Gay activists Nikolai Alexeyev and Nikolai Baev had sued Luzhkov for calling Moscow’s Pride parade a “satanic gathering.”

The judges ruled that the mayor was giving his personal opinion about the parade and not directly insulting the organizers or participants.

Alexeyev, who spoke in Chicago earlier this month, said the gay rights activists, having exhausted their court appeals in Russia, plan to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. They are also asking that court to overturn Luzhkov’s ban of Moscow Pride earlier this year.

Venezuela moves to ban discrimination against gays

CARACAS—A Venezuelan legislative committee voted last week to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation as part of President Hugo Chavez’s rewrite of the country’s constitution.

The move was part of broader legislation on the constitution, including lowering the voting age to 16. Both changes are backed by Chavez and his Unified Venezuelan Socialist Party.

The committee vote sent the bill to the full legislative assembly, where it’s expected to be approved in the next two weeks. It would then be submitted to the public for a national vote.

Thousands march in Taiwan’s Pride Parade

TAIPEI, Taiwan—Thousands of gay rights supporters marched through Taiwan’s capital Oct. 13, hoisting rainbow-colored flags symbolizing their movement.

The demonstrators—some dressed as brides and grooms, others as nurses and sailors—weaved their way through one of Taipei’s busiest shopping areas on their way to a plaza in front of the city government building.

They marched in groups under banners of different colors—red deemed a symbol of sex, orange a symbol of power.

Saturday's march was the fifth annual gay parade in Taipei. Organizers said about 7,000 participated, up from last year's 2,000.