The Moscow Times: Russian organic food retailer VkusVill has featured an LGBT family in its new promotional material this week, defying the country’s law against “gay propaganda toward minors.” As part of a series of health-conscious families, VkusVill spotlights a “matriarch” Yuma, her partner Zhenya and two daughters Mila and Alina, who practice ethical veganism, support fair trade and provide shelter to LGBT people struggling to find acceptance in their own families.
RFE/RL: The mayor of the Russian city of Kolomna, Denis Lebedev, has been found dead in his apartment. Investigative Committee spokewoman Olga Vrady said a probe was launched into the case after the 46-year-old Lebedev was found dead on July 2. Media reports, citing sources in law enforcement, said Lebedev’s body was found with a gunshot wound.
Human Rights Watch: […] Human Rights Watch has documented abuses against children, including children with disabilities, in institutions in Armenia, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Serbia.[19] In all of these countries, children with disabilities often live in large residential institutions, and can experience segregation, neglect, physical and emotional abuse, physical and chemical restraints, potentially inappropriate medical treatment, lack of access to education, lack of privacy, and denial of legal capacity upon reaching childhood, among other abuses.[20] In Kazakhstan, Human Rights Watch documented how staff in one large institution forced older children to work, including mopping floors or taking care of younger children with high support needs.[21]
