Nikolay Alexeyev - Background

Background

Born and raised in Moscow, in 1995 Nikolay Alexeyev graduated from high-school with the advanced study of English language. In 2000 he graduated with honors from the Lomonosov Moscow State University with a degree in Public Administration (previously known as the Institute of Public Administration and Social Studies).

During his studies, Nikolay Alexeyev became interested in the Constitutional Law. In the summers of 1996, 1997, and 1998 he worked as an intern in the Secretariat of the Russian Constitutional Court in Moscow. As an assistant to the judge, he prepared case materials and confinements for the decisions of the Court.

In 1998, being a third year student of Lomonosov Moscow State University, Nikolay Alexeyev released his first book "Citizen's complaints to the Constitutional Court.

Between November 2000 to February 2001 Nikolay Alexeyev worked as a special correspondent for the Russian daily newspaper Segodnya. The paper which belonged to Russian oligarch Vladimir Gusinsky was closed in April 2001 after state-owned Gazprom-Media took full control over it.

After graduating from the University, Nikolay Alexeyev stayed at his department to continue postgraduate studies in constitutional, municipal and administrative law. In November 2001 he was forced to leave the Postgraduate Program of the Moscow State University, Department of Public Administration (Legal Fundamentals of State Regulation Department) due to the non-acceptance of his research of the legal status of sexual minorities as his thesis. This research was published in his 2002 book "Legal Regulation of the Status of Sexual Minorities: Russia in the Light of International Organisations' Practice and Legislation of Other Countries".

In June 2002 Nikolay Alexeyev published his second book "Gay Marriage: Family Status of Same-Sex Couples in International, National and Local Law" which summarized legal situation in terms of the recognition of same-sex unions around the world.

Nikolay Alexeyev appealed to Court against the University claiming he was victim of sexual orientation discrimination. On 10 June 2005 Moscow's Nikulinskiy District Court dismissed his claim. The decision was confirmed on appeal by Moscow City Court in September 2005. In May 2006 Nikolay Alexeyev filed his first complaint with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France which was registered under #9689/06. As of November 2010, the case was not considered by the Court and not communicated to Russian authorities.

In October 2002, Nikolay Alexeyev authored a report titled "Curbing Prostitution: Western Experience and International Law" ordered by former State Duma Deputy Alexander Barannikov. The report was supposed to help the deputy's initiative to legalize prostitution in Russia. Finally, the deputy was in minority in his party and no bill was introduced in the Parliament.

In 2003 Nikolay Alexeyev authored a comprehensive research dedicated to the history and contemporary reform of the upper chamber of British Parliament "House of Lords: From the Court of King Egbert to the Revolution of Prime Minister T. Blair (825-2003)".

In February 2005 Nikolay Alexeyev decided to fully dedicate himself to gay activism and the fight for the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in Russia. On 17 May 2005, the first International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) he launched Russian LGBT Human Rights Project GayRussia.Ru, an LGBT advocate group in Moscow. The launch of the organization was marked by a press conference which was fully ignored by the media.

In the interview with "In These Times", published on 30 November 2007, Nikolay Alexeyev explained that he "realized it wouldn't be possible to change things in Russia just by writing" and that "he should be involved in more activist work and try to bring changes for LGBT rights." Gay activism became his full-time occupation.

On 5 September 2008 Nikolay Alexeyev became the first public figure in Russia's history who entered into same-sex family union. Marriage ceremony took place in Geneva City Hall on the basis of the Swiss Federal Law on registered partnership. He is in family relations with his Swiss partner since November 1999.