HUMAN RIGHTS

Stephen Fry: Boycott Olympics in Russia

Actor compares Putin to Hitler.

British actor Stephen Fry is calling for a boycott of the Winter Olympics set to take place in Sochi, Russia, because of the persecution gays face in that country. In an open letter to UK Prime Minister David Cameron and the International Olympic Committee, Fry urged the IOC to "take a firm stance on behalf of the shared humanity it is supposed to represent." He also compared Russian President Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler, saying the former is making "scapegoats of gay people, just as Hitler did Jews. He cannot be allowed to get away with it." Russia recently passed a law that makes it illegal to give people under the age of 18 information about homosexuality. The IOC has said it will work to make sure the 2014 Olympics will not be marred by discrimination.