Russian Supreme Court refuses to legalize same-sex marriage News
Russian Supreme Court refuses to legalize same-sex marriage

[JURIST] The Russian Supreme Court [official website, in Russian] Tuesday rejected a petition for the legalization of same-sex marriage. In its opinion, the court held that it could not alter the Russian Family Code to allow for same-sex marriages. The plaintiffs in the case filed for a marriage certificate in January in Moscow, but were rejected because same-sex marriages are prohibited by law. However, in a twist on the case, one of the plaintiffs, Eduard Murzin, is an MP from the Bashkiria republic in Russia. Murzin is heterosexual, but said he agreed to file for the marriage to promote gay rights in Russia with Eduard Mishin, the editor of a gay-rights website. Murzin said he planned to appeal the case to the European Court of Human Rights [official website] in Strasbourg. Mosnews.com has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism

November 9 is the International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism [UNITED factsheet]. On November 9, 1924, American gay activist Henry Gerber and several associates formed the Society for Human Rights, the first gay rights organization in the United States. The Society received a charter from the State of Illinois in December but was disbanded in July 1925 after a police raid which led to Gerber's arrest and trial (albeit not conviction). Pay a virtual visit to Henry Gerber House, now a registered Chicago landmark.

Supreme Court strikes down Massachusetts anti-draft law

On November 9, 1970, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 in Massachusetts v. Laird not to hear the case of the state's anti-draft law. Massachusetts had passed a law, which allowed its citizens to decline to fight in any undeclared war, even if the person was drafted. The law was passed in opposition to the draft and the war in Vietnam. The First Circuit found the war constitutional and thus struck down the law.