Nikolai Alekseev has been charged with slander (article 129) and insult (article 130) of the Russian Criminal Code for outing former State Duma (Parliament) deputy Alexander Chuev on NTV’s  talk show K baryeru!, reports the UK Gay News.

Mr. Alekseev is reported to have called Chuev a “gay, coward and hypocrite” on the show televised July 21, 2007.

Chuev, who is a member of the Fair Russia party, complained to Russia’s General Prosecuting department and requested a criminal investigation.

Chuev is a vocal opponent of gay rights and has introduced proposals to the Russian Parliament to outlaw gay “promotion” and “propaganda.” 

Nikolai Alekseev rose to prominence as a LGBT leader as the organizer of Moscow gay pride.  The annual event was banned in 2006 and then again in 2007 after violence erupted.