Sexual minorities have the right to stage public marches in St. Petersburg, the city's newly appointed ombudsman said on Monday.

Writer and playwright Alexey Kozyrev was appointed ombudsman for human rights in Russia's northern capital in late 2009.

He said that according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

"If you have the right, then why not stage a [gay rights] parade?" he said.

"Moscow strongly opposes them [gay rights activists], to its own detriment... Why would it be any different from any other public gathering?" Kozyrev went on, adding that it would be paramount to ensure order was maintained during such occasions.

Moscow's Mayor Yuri Luzhkov has repeatedly claimed he will never allow gay pride marches in Russia's capital.

In May 2009, Russian gay activists were planning to hold the country's first ever gay rights parade during the Eurovision Song Contest final. After the city council refused to give official permission for the parade, a group of activists staged a spontaneous march and a number of them were detained by police.

ST. PETERSBURG, February 8 (RIA Novosti)