Russia: Andrey Samstov

Andrey Samstov: Robert Hughes says hes had two clients in the past few months who have claimed refugee status in Canada after fleeing persecution because of their sexual orientation, according to CTV. One client, Andrey Samstov, was arrested after he unfurled a rainbow flag in a pride parade in Moscow in 2011 and As Russia cracks down on gay expression and fears of homophobic attacks rise, gay Russians may increasingly seek safe haven in Canada, according to a refugee lawyer. What has been unusual for me is to see gay Russians contacting me before they come to Canada. They re afraid of staying in Russia, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.