Russia's First Gay Married Couple Had ro Run for Their Lives (HBO)

Sep 2, 2018 • Yevgeny Voitsekhovsky and Pavel Stotsko aren't just a married gay couple — they were the first married gay couple in Russia after their January marriage was officially recognized by a government official. But their bliss was short lived, and they were quickly forced to flee the country in fear for their lives.

The couple has been staying ever since in a small town in the Netherlands, where they spoke exclusively to VICE News.

Although gay marriage is illegal in Russia, Voitsekhovsky and Stotsko took advantage of a loophole earlier this year after discovering the government recognizes foreign marriages.

The couple wed in Denmark in January, seven years after they first started dating. On their return to Russia, they took their internal passports to a government office to be officially registered.

To their surprise, registering at the municipality office went off without a hitch. …