LOS ANGELES — The ACLU of Southern California and the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center are urging Los Angeles city leaders to sever sister city ties with St. Petersburg, Russia, following the passage there of increasingly repressive laws directed at the LGBT community.

The organizations made the request this week to Los Angeles city councilmembers in a letter which also asked them to re-evaluate relationships with other cities on the list, such as Lusaka, Zambia. In response, Councilmember Bill Rosendahl later introduced a resolution to suspend the relationship.