ECHR Judges Who Considered Issue of Same-Sex Marriage in Russia Should Resign - Duma Speaker

Interfax ^ | 7/14/21

[marshmallow]

Moscow, July 14, Interfax - State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin views the judges of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) who considered the claim filed by a number of Russian citizens against the inability to register same-sex marriages in Russia as incompetent and urges them to resign.

"When making such decisions, the ECHR judges must know the domestic legislation of the country to which they are applied. They should be guided by this if it is a priority. In this matter, the judges showed a lack of qualification, having adopted, in fact, an unlawful decision that is at odds with national legislation," Volodin said when commenting on the ECHR ruling on Telegram.

"In this regard, it would be right for them to resign," he said.

The senior lawmaker noted that each country has its own cultural code, traditions, and mentality, and this must be taken into account. In Volodin's opinion, the imposition of non-traditional values leads to destructive processes. He cited the events in Georgia as an example.

The Russian Constitution states that ECHR rulings if they are based on provisions of international treaties that contravene the Constitution are not enforceable in Russia, Volodin said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the ECHR ruled that Russia's refusal to allow same-sex marriage violates the right to privacy envisaged by the convention on human rights and fundamental freedoms and recommended that Russia rectify its national laws.

The case was brought by three gay couples who have been denied marriage registration in Russia for over a decade. The ECHR found that Russia violated Article 8 of the convention (right to privacy and family life). Although the ECHR cannot impose a direct requirement on Russia to recognize same-sex marriages, the state should still find a compromise, the ruling says.

[sockmonkey]

Russia seems to be one of the countries that hasn’t lost its mind. It was uplifting to see their Olympians attending Mass at Christ the Savior Cathedral in preparation for their departure to Tokyo.