Russia’s record on LGBT rights is completely unacceptable – this undoubtedly forms part of the position of much of the international community that the country fails to stand up for human rights and must be sanctioned accordingly.
The SNP has been persistent in its condemnation of Russian human rights abuses and aggression on the international stage (in particular its invasion of Crimea and its attempted assassinations on British soil).
The reports of vile purges sanctioned by a federal republic of Russia is deeply worrying and shows that the Russian Government, far from moderating its position on LGBT rights, is actually becoming more brutal.
Full diplomatic pressure needs to be brought to bear on Russia to recognise that human rights violations of this nature, sanctioned by the state, will not be able to be committed with impunity, and that a full public investigation of these events is conducted.