Nikolay Alexeyev

Nikolay Alexeyev, born on December twenty-third, nineteen seventy-seven, is a prominent figure in the realm of human rights, particularly known for his advocacy for LGBTQ rights in Russia. As a lawyer and journalist, he has dedicated his career to fighting for the rights of sexual minorities, becoming a leading voice in a challenging environment.

In a landmark achievement on October twenty-first, two thousand ten, Alexeyev won the first case at the European Court of Human Rights concerning LGBT human rights violations in Russia. The court unanimously ruled that the Russian government's bans on Moscow Pride events in two thousand six, two thousand seven, and two thousand eight violated multiple articles of the European Convention on Human Rights. This ruling marked a significant victory for LGBTQ activists in Russia.

From two thousand five, Alexeyev served as the founder and chief organizer of Moscow Pride, an event that faced severe opposition from authorities until its eventual prohibition in two thousand twelve. Alongside his advocacy group, GayRussia.Ru, he organized numerous public actions aimed at defending the rights of sexual minorities, although for five years, none of these actions received the necessary permissions from the Russian authorities.

In a notable moment of progress, on October first, two thousand ten, Alexeyev was granted permission to hold a sanctioned picketing in Moscow, which aimed to call for an economic boycott of Swiss Air Lines due to their involvement in his arrest at Moscow Domodedovo airport. However, following a series of antisemitic incidents directed at Western LGBTQ figures, Alexeyev decided to end his activism in two thousand thirteen.

In two thousand sixteen, he was granted Swiss citizenship and currently resides in Geneva with his husband, marking a new chapter in his life after years of dedicated activism.