Brody's Notes...“Kill Gays, Lesbians” Call By Former Russian Billionaire On Russian Radio

Nikolai Alekseev is a leading voice and advocate for LGBT Equality Rights in The Russian Federation. Founder and online Publisher of the Russian-Language website, GayRussia.ru, established in 2005, the LGBT Human Rights Project very quickly became one the main sources of information on the topic and leading force in the fight for equal rights of gays and lesbians in Russia.

Earlier this year, Alekseev, along with UK LGBT Equality Rights Activist Peter Tatchell organised and participated in a 'Flash-Mob' style unauthorised Gay pride parade in the Russian capital to protest the continuing denial of LGBT rights by Moscow's notoriously homophobic mayor. A lawyer & also a journalist, Alekseev is also frequent contributor to the British newspaper, guardian.co.uk's online 'comment is free' column.

Nikolai Alekseev   Photo by Kirill Nepomnyaschiy

By Nikolai Alekseev (Moscow, Russia) AUG 18 | Russia’s first legal billionaire of modern times has called for the killing of all gays and lesbians. Former super-rich oligarch German Sterligov, who is said to have amassed a fortune in the commodities exchanges when aged 24 following the collapse of the Soviet Union, confirmed that he wanted all gay men and women killed when he was interviewed at the weekend on the popular Moscow radio station Echo Moskvi.

During the radio show, the host of Cultural Shock, Ksenia Larina, asked Mr Sterligov: 

“I want to understand, German, what what you want to do … what to do not only with atheists but also with gays and lesbians?” 

Mr. Sterligov responded: “As it is written by the Apostle Paul, Let it be their blood upon their heads.

Other guests on the programme chipped in. 

One asked: “This is what is written about gays and lesbians?” “Yes, replied Mr. Sterligov. “This is what is written about the homosexuals.”

Another guest wanted clarification; “That means to kill?”

“Yes, for sure,” Mr. Sterligov confirmed. 

Before this exchange, Mr. Sterligov said that he would never hire any gay man or woman to work for him.

“No, well … homosexuals would not be given a job under any circumstance … never. And if there is ever a law in the state requiring me to employ homosexuals, I would immediately disobey it.”

Mr Sterligov further explained his position about the laws;

“I believe in God and for me the laws of God are above the laws of man. Where they coincide, I admit them. Where they are contrary to the law of God, I spit on them.”

The anti-gay radio commentary from Mr. Sterligov drew immediate and sharp condemnation from gay and lesbian activists of the organization Article 282, whose aims is to combat homophobic hate speech and incitement of violence against sexual minorities and defamation. Representatives of appealed to the General Prosecutor's Office to investigate if the words of Mr. Sterligov were inciting hatred and inciting to violence against homosexuals, as a social group:

"We intend to initiate criminal proceedings against Mr. Sterligov for his calls to violence against gays and lesbians in Russia,” LGBT activist Nikolai Baev, director of Article 282 was quoted by UK Gay News.

“Mr. Sterligov must understand that he lives in a secular state in the 21 century, and not in a fiefdom in the 16 century,” Mr. Baev pointed out. “He can somehow relate to gays and lesbians, but calls for their destruction as contrary to the laws of the Russian Federation, and the basic norms of morality. “In the private sphere, he can preach all sorts of homophobic and xenophobic ideas. However, the public advocacy of violence and hatred is prohibited by law in Russia. We will require the application of this law to protect the rights, lives and dignity of LGBT citizens of Russia” Mr. Baev insisted. 

Mr. Baev said that of Article 282 other campaigning groups in Russia – Equality, Marriage Equality Russia, and the LGBT human rights project GayRussia – were joining with the Article 282 group for the appeal to the Prosecution Office for Mr. Sterligov’s alleged violation of Article 282 of the constitution. 

German Sterligov is known for his fundamentalist Orthodox views. He virtually turned his back on his immense wealth five years ago.  He shed his plush mansions and penthouse apartments in the most desirable areas of New York, London, Geneva and Moscow, not to mention a châteaux in Burgundy, for the “simple life” in the country.He is said to have given away most of his share and wealth.