STRASBOURG, October 1 (RIA Novosti) – The speaker of the Russian parliament invited members of the European Parliament Tuesday to come to Moscow to see the capital's gay clubs and observe for themselves that sexual minorities' rights in Russia are not being violated.
“We have plenty of successful people here who have a non-traditional sexual orientation. They are successful in business, the arts, any creative sphere of activity,” State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin told a session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). “They have a right to relax and take it easy in Moscow and other cities across Russia.”
Many Russian cities including Moscow have many so-called gay clubs where visitors “have a very good time,” he said, adding he has not been to one himself but heard “eyewitness testimony” to that effect.
“Those who want to get confirmation of that are welcome – I’m inviting them to come to Moscow,” Naryshkin said.
“Sadly, I won’t be able to come to a club with you, but I’ll definitely take care of you.”
The issue of gay rights in Russia became the focus of renewed debate earlier this year when a law came into force banning the propagation of information to minors about non-traditional relationships. The law was met with international criticism, with some gay activists abroad even calling for a boycott of the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games.
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