Police in St. Petersburg, Russia on
Saturday arrested two men for violating the city's “gay propaganda”
law.
The men were arrested for violating the
city's recently approved ordinance which criminalizes “public
actions aimed at propaganda of pederasty, lesbianism, bisexuality and
transgenderism among minors.”
The two men, gay rights activist Sergei
Kondrashov and head of regional LGBT Igor Kochetkov, were released
after several hours, RIA
Novosti reported.
Local lesbian activist Maria Yefremova
told Interfax that they were due in court on Monday and are charged
“with disobedience of police and propaganda of homosexuality.”
The men were participating in a rally
protesting the new law near the Oktyabrsky concert hall.
“About 40 people were holding an
action, and two were taken to a police department to clarify some
circumstances,” a police department spokesperson told Interfax.
On Thursday, police arrested two gay
rights activists near the Youth Art Palace for holding signs which
read “Gay is OK.” They were the first to be detained under the
new law.
The men face fines of $170 each for
violating the law which went into effect on February 29.
Last
month, a lawmaker introduced a similar measure in Russia's lower
house of parliament.
(Related: Madonna
threatened with fine if she violates St. Petersburg anti-gay law.)