Actor Sir Ian McKellen has joined with 27 Nobel laureates to write a letter to Vladimir Putin decrying Russia’s anti-gay laws. The document published in The Independent urges Putin to repeal laws which ban gay propaganda and the promotion of homosexuality. "The letter is written to indicate that many senior members of the international scientific community show solidarity with politicians, artists, sports people and many others who have already expressed their abhorrence for the Russian Government's actions against its gay citizens,” it reads. “Protest is never easy but we hope that by expressing opposition to the new legislation it might be possible to encourage the Russian State to embrace the 21st Century humanitarian, political and inclusive democratic principles which Mikhail Gorbachev worked so hard to achieve. We are encouraged that our serious concerns may be considered by the pardons of imprisoned political activists which have recently been announced.” Among those who have signed the letter are McKellen’s longtime friend, chemist Sir Harry Kroto, South African novelist J.M. Coetzee, writer Herta Muller and Mairead Maguire, winner of the 1976 Nobel Peace prize. The Winter Olympic Games begin in Sochi, Russia, next month and vigils are expected to be held on the eve of the event in solidarity with glbti Russians.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 16th January 2014 - 9:39am