Russia has recorded its initial cases of LGBT “extremism.” ( Credit: Getty Images )
Following a Supreme Court ruling declaring the “international public LGBT movement, ” which does not exist, as an extremist group, Russia has issued its first convictions in connection with the so-called LGBTQ+ “extremism”.
Effectively outlawing LGBTQ+ activism, the ruling was made in November 2023 but was n’t implemented until last month.
The decision has already resulted in the arrest of a number of LGBTQ+ right organizations, police searches of queer clubs, and the shut-down of many of them.
Human Rights Watch ( HRW) is aware that Russian courts have just announced their first extremism convictions.
Anyone found guilty of supporting or participating in an extremist organization may receive up to 12 years in prison, while those found guilty of displaying extremist group images, which now include the Pride flag, was receive 15 days in jail and four years in prison for a second crime, according to Russian legal law.
A girl was given a five-day prison sentence for wearing rainbow-colored earrings, and two people were fined for posting a rainbow symbol on their individual social media accounts, among the new convictions that resulted from the Supreme Court’s ruling.
The Supreme Court decision opened the floodgates for the random trial of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and gay people, along with anyone who defends their right or expresses cooperation with them, said Tanya Lokshina, interact Europe and Central Asia chairman at HRW.
Russian officials have tried for years to ban LGBT people from the public eye, and now they have done so. “
In an effort to stifle open discussions about sexuality and sex identification, Russian officials have been pushing an anti-LGBTQ+ assault within their laws since at least 2013.
President Vladimir Putin recently updated the ‘gay propaganda rules in Russia, extending it to people.
The original law prohibits the distribution of components that it deems to promote “non-traditional values, LGBT, feminism, and a distorted picture of conventional sexual values. ” ”
Private companies found to be violating the law can be fined up to five million roubles ($ 68,327 ), while individuals who are found to be in violation of the law can be fined up to 400,000 roubles ($ 5,466 ).
Additionally, Russia has passed laws that prohibit what it calls medical interventions aimed at changing a person’s sexual and prohibit gender-affirming practices for transgender people. ”
