European Court Says Russia Violated Rights of LGBT Organizations

Last month, in Zhdanov and Others v. Russia, (ECHR, July 16, 2019), the European Court of Human Rights in a Chamber Judgment held that Russia had violated Article 6 (access to courts), Article 11 (freedom of association) and Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) of the European Convention on Human Rights in refusing to register three organizations that promote LGBT rights.  Russia had denied registration on various grounds, including the contention that the organizations could destroy the moral values of society, decrease Russian population, jeopardize the institutions of family and marriage, and incite social or religious hatred. The Court issued a press release announcing the decision.