Russia has officially added the “LGBT Movement” to its “terrorists and extremists” blacklist and has since made two arrests after the new Anti-LGBTQ+ laws went into effect.
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In April 2023, we first learned about a Gay TikTok couple getting arrested in Russia for violating anti-LGBTQ+ laws. Gela Gogishvili, 23, and his boyfriend, Haoyang Xu, 21, were arrested by police in Kazan and charged with violating a series of the countries laws; including positive depictions of LGBTQ+ people in media and the dissemination of “gay propaganda to minors.”
In the years leading up to the couple’s arrest, Russia had begun implementing several anti-LGBTQ+ laws, sparking outrage among activists around the world.
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Some of the laws then included:
The “gay propaganda” law: This law, passed in 2013, prohibits the promotion of “non-traditional” sexual relations to minors. Critics argue that the law effectively bans public support or discussion of LGBTQ+ issues.
Ban on adoption by same-sex couples: In 2013, Russia passed a law prohibiting same-sex couples and unmarried individuals from adopting children.
Criminalization of LGBTQ+ expression: In 2020, Russia passed a law that criminalizes any public display of affection or positive representation of LGBTQ+ people, which can result in fines and even imprisonment.
Then in July 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin continued to spark outrage by signing a law that banned gender change. In November 2023, Russia’s Supreme Court then declared that the “LGBT Movement” was “extreme.” Since then, as of March 2024, Russia has now officially added the “LGBT Movement” to its blacklist of “terrorists and extremists.”
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Following the ruling, on Wednesday (March 20), a Russian court ordered two employees of a gay bar to be held in pre-trial detention, accusing them of organizing an “extremist organization,” the first case of its kind since the Supreme Court decision. The case could set a precedent for how the law is applied to LGBTQ+ people in Russia.
The defendants have been identified as art director Alexander Klimov and administrator Diana Kamilyanova. They are currently in police custody until May 18. If found guilty, they both face up to ten years in jail. According to the court, the defendants “acted in premeditation with a group of people… who also support the views and activities of the international public association LGBT.”
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