Obama Plans Meeting With Russian LGBT Activists

[Amelia Pond]

Obama Plans Meeting With Russian LGBT Activists
DANIEL REYNOLDS, SEPTEMBER 03, 2013 1:15 PM ET

President Barack Obama is planning to meet with Russian human rights groups, including LGBT activists, reports BuzzFeed.

The meeting will occur during the G-20 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel this Thursday. Confirmed attendees include leading human rights activists Lyudmila Alexeyeva and Lev Ponomarev; Pavel Chikov, the chair of Agora, a legal advocacy organization; and representatives of Coming Out, an LGBT nonprofit based in St. Petersburg.

This will be the first time the president will speak with LGBT organizations in Russia, which has caused a storm of controversy with the passage of antigay legislation, a ban on so-called homosexual propaganda.

Under the law, both foreigners and Russian citizens can be arrested for disseminating or promoting homosexuality or LGBT rights. LGBT foreigners could also be deported, and that includes athletes of the upcoming Olympic games.

[DriftingCrow]

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/9/4/russia-gay-activiststomeetobamaatg20summit0.html
Source: Al-Jazeera English (No author listed)

Due to concern over the "Homosexual Propaganda" law, Obama invited some LGBT activists to meet with him in St. Petersburg, Russia during the G-20 summit.

[Ltl89]

I wonder if Putin will have Obama arrested for breaking the Propaganda law,lol.  Seriously, I think it's good Obama is doing that, but I wish he would put more force on Putin in general.

[Joelene9]

  Putin is a hard one to crack.  I got an interest in him since I found out that he is only a few weeks older than I.  We both served in our armed forces at the same time, but took quite different paths afterward.  Putin usually agrees with the Duma on issues that Putin allows them to put on the floor.  I do hope for Obama the best here. 

  Joelene

[Cindy]

I was recently invited to a science conference to be held in Russia as a guest speaker, I was offered the usual business class fare, accommodation etc. Which is standard for invited speakers. When I replied, accepting, but informing the committee of my name change the offer was withdrawn