September 02, 2013 (Sochi, Russia) – Russian president Vladimir Putin’s efforts to suppress “gay propaganda” is creating a lot of international backlash. While the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community is forefront in the protests, other groups are joining in. All this might eventually provoke a boycott of the Sochi Winter Games…

Putin recently signed a decree banning demonstrations and rallies for two-and-a-half months in Sochi around the 2014 Winter Olympics. now he’s attempting to restrict movements by imposing a “forbidden zone” and banning public gatherings around the city of Sochi. Protests broke out, most notably in London, U.K. where protestors carried posters of Putin dressed in drag and branded slogans such as “Freedom for LGBT Russians now!”

Combined with this, ethnic tensions are resurfacing in this area. Circassians are protesting the holding of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in what used to be their traditional homeland until 1864 when they were expelled by the Russians.

There is a small, but growing movement to boycott the Sochi Games. The Canadian Institute of Diversity and Inclusion (CIDI) issued a statement on August 26 in support of such a stand because of recent Russian legislation banning the “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations.”

“The law imposes fines and jail time for an LGBT person or their straight allies, who speak out in support of LGBT rights. Human rights must come above all,” declared Michael Bach, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, CIDI. “Any country that participates in these games is, by their action, complicit in human rights abuses that are taking place in Russia today. If a country cannot ensure the safety of their citizens and residents, they must boycott the games.”

A “Boycott Sochi 2014” Facebook page had 10,031 followers at press time. The last Olympic Games held in what is now Russia were scheduled in Moscow for the summer of 1980, but were widely boycotted by Western nations in response to the Soviet military invasion of Afghanistan. Canadian and other Western athletes competed at an alternative sporting event in July, 1980 hosted in Philadelphia, PA.

The Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the official newspaper of the Russian government, published the presidential decree Friday, listing an array of measures tightening security in the Olympic host city, including a ban on public assemblies. All “gatherings, rallies, demonstrations, marches and pickets” that are not part of the Olympics or the Paralympics will be prohibited in Sochi from Jan. 7 to March 21.

Authorities in Russia have repeatedly denied applications from gay activists to set up a Pride House in Sochi during the Games. Activists are still hoping to hold a gay pride rally in Sochi on the opening day of the Games anyway.

The Winter Olympics is taking place in the Black Sea resort from Feb. 7-23, 2014 and the Paralympics are being held March 7-16.

Putin, who typically tries to portray a macho image, likely took a very dim view of London protestors portraying him as a homosexual. The Russian president also seems very concerned about his image. Putin was reputedly very upset a decade ago by the apparent depiction of his face as the character “Dobby,” a house elf featured in the Harry Potter film “The Chamber of Secrets.”

CIDI position here.
No to Sochi here.
Sochi restrictions here.
Forbidden zone here.
Sochi Rallies here.

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtghUW0_PlE>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtghUW0_PlE

<http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/02/03/findlaw.analysis.hilden.potter/>www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/02/03/findlaw.analysis.hilden.potter/