LGBT activist Peter Tatchell flies home after being arrested in Russia
The veteran activist staged a one-man protest ahead of the World Cup in Russia
By Steve Brown
LGBT activist Peter Tatchell is flying home after being arrested after a one-man protest in Russia.
The veteran human rights was staging a one-man protest over Russia’s treatment of LGBT people near Red Square, Moscow, where he was soon approached by several policeman.
Tatchell, who had been holding a sign which read ‘Putin fails to act against Chechnya torture of gay people’, was taken to taken to nearby Tverskaya Police Station, where he was later released on bail after being charged with breaking a law prohibiting all protests near the Kremlin and during the World Cup.
After initially being told he would have to appear in court on June, Mr Tatchell, 66, was told he is free to leave Russia as planned today.
Job done. Goodbye Moscow. No problem at immigration despite my scheduled court appearance on 26 June. It was such a honour to support the heroic Russian LGBT+ activists of @rulgbtnet and @lgbtsportRussia pic.twitter.com/OfSYU75EUY
— Peter Tatchell (@PeterTatchell) June 18, 2018
And the activist took to Twitter to post a picture of himself on board a plane and revealed there was “no problem at immigration” despite having a court appearance next week.
He wrote: “Job done. Goodbye Moscow. No problem at immigration despite my scheduled court appearance on 26 June.
“It was such a honour to support the heroic Russian LGBT+ activists of @rulgbtnet and @lgbtsportRussia [sic]”