 ...a look back at the week of 17 - 23 June 2017 by Simon Cosgrove The week saw a new twist in what many perceive as a mounting conflict between Russia and the Council of Europe, as the European Court of Human Rights ruled on 20 June 2017 in the case of Bayev and Others against Russia that Russian legislation banning promotion of homosexuality to minors encourages homophobia and discrimination. The conflict falls into place along side a number of legal cases that have seen the Russian authorities tussle with the European Court of Human Rights (most notably the Yukos case). If one puts specifically legal issues aside (in so far as that is possible, or even desirable), on the one hand some see the conflict over the 'gay propaganda' law as one of cultures, as Russia asserts values that are different from those currently predominant in the West. On the other hand, some view the conflict as arising primarily in the political field, as President Putin seeks to draw on support from a nationalist conservatism to buttress his increasingly authoritarian rule. [Read more] |
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