MOSCOW, June 15 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian lesbian
couple filed on Monday a lawsuit with a Tver court protesting
the decision by a local registry office to reject their
application to marry.
Irina Fyet and Irina Chapitko tried to get married at a
registry office in Tver, in central Russia, on Friday but were
told that same-sex marriage was not permitted by Russian law.
The couple first attempted to get married in Moscow in
mid-May as the Russian capital hosted the Eurovision Song
Contest. In the presence of journalists, however, the head of
the registry office turned them away.
In their lawsuit, the women argue the Russian constitution
does not prohibit same-sex marriage and such marriage was
guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights, which
has been ratified by Russia.
The lesbian couple plans to hold a wedding ceremony in
Canada, where same-sex marriages are recognized by law.
In May, Judge Harvey Brownstone of the North Toronto
Family Court confirmed in an interview with the Toronto Star
plans to certify the marriage in Canada.
The women will then demand that Russia recognize their
marriage.
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