(Photo source) Mikhail Fradkov (left), is the new premier of Russia.

Russia has joined several other nations in allowing sexually active gay men to donate blood. The move comes in the face of an anti-gay atmosphere in Russian society, and may mark a more liberal atmosphere under the new premier, according to Edge Boston.

As we reported previously at blurbberry, students on campuses and gay activists and their allies are protesting across the world to lift blood donation bans. The bans were set in place by health organizations responding to the HIV epidemic in the 80’

s with sweeping restrictions of gay men donating blood. 

The U.K. Gay News, translating from gayrussia.ru, reports that the Russian Ministry of Health and Social Development made the determination after activists from Project GayRussia.ru and other groups lobbied for the change for two years.

Minister of Health and Social Development Tania Golikova signed a decree in April, but word is only streaming out of the country. Activists have been ratcheting up pressure on the government.

In September 2007, activists wanted to picket Ministry of Health and Social Development in Moscow to demand an immediate repeal of the ban, but authorities denied them a permit. Some activists were arrested at the ministry in an act of civil disobedience. The same day, several activists attracted attention by attempting to give blood.

The head of the Central Moscow Blood Transfusion Center admitted to the media that the ban was in practice unenforceable. “We conducted our campaign against the ban for two years and it brought the results,” said activist Nikolai Alekseev. “Not so many people believed in our success but we proved that actions can lead to serious results.”

He also tweaked other countries, such as the U.S., where the ban remains in effect. “Russia will become an example in this respect for other countries,” he said, “including western democracies, where such restrictions are still in force.