MOSCOW, June 15 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian lesbian couple filed on Monday a lawsuit with a Tver court protesting the decision by a local registry office to reject their application to marry.
Irina Fyet and Irina Chapitko tried to get married at a registry office in Tver, in central Russia, on Friday but were told that same-sex marriage was not permitted by Russian law.
The couple first attempted to get married in Moscow in mid-May as the Russian capital hosted the Eurovision Song Contest. In the presence of journalists, however, the head of the registry office turned them away.
In their lawsuit, the women argue the Russian constitution does not prohibit same-sex marriage and such marriage was guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights, which has been ratified by Russia.
The lesbian couple plans to hold a wedding ceremony in Canada, where same-sex marriages are recognized by law.
In May, Judge Harvey Brownstone of the North Toronto Family Court confirmed in an interview with the Toronto Star plans to certify the marriage in Canada.
The women will then demand that Russia recognize their marriage.
