Gay Couple Claims Russia Recognized Their Marriage
- By
- Carlos Santoscoy
- | January 29, 2018
A gay male couple who married earlier this month in the Danish capital of Copenhagen told media that Russia recognized their marriage.
Same-sex marriage is not legal in Russia, but Pavel Stotsko and Yevgeny Voytsekhovsky said that they had found a legal loophole.
Upon returning to Moscow, the couple submitted their passports with an updated marital status.
Their marriage status was validated by a member of staff, they told Russian channel TV Rain. “He did not even change his expression,” they said.
Russian law does not explicitly prohibit recognition of same-sex unions conducted abroad.
According to The Moscow Times, Moscow's service center later rejected the couple's marriage.
Dozhd TV quoted Russian lawmakers calling for a legislative fix to the loophole.