Homosexuals and other queer people have long been subjected to great discrimination in Russia – especially since the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine.
The Supreme Court in Russia has classified the LGBTQI+ community as “extremist,” further massively restricting the rights of gay, lesbian and other queer people. The judges approved a corresponding request from the Russian Ministry of Justice on Thursday, as the Interfax agency reported, citing the court. Accordingly, it was decided “to recognize the international public LGBT movement as an extremist organization and to ban its activities in Russia.”
The approach had already been heavily criticized by human rights activists in advance. Independent Russian media now pointed out that the judges did not even make it clear who exactly, in their eyes, belongs to the “LGBT movement”. Accordingly, the specific effects of the regulation were initially not known. Queer activists, who have already been subjected to major repression, fear that the actions of the Russian judiciary are primarily aimed at completely silencing them in public and will fuel further hatred against minorities.
The English abbreviation LGBTQI+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and intersex people – and the plus sign and the asterisk are placeholders for other identities and genders.
Major international protest
Especially since the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has taken massive action against social diversity in its own country. Around a year ago, a law was passed that banned so-called “LGBT propaganda” – that is, in effect, any positive portrayal of lesbian and gay love, for example. Since then, this has affected, for example, posts on social networks, but also the content of books, films, media and advertising. Violations result in high fines.
This approach also sparked major international protest at the time – especially because there was already a law that banned the distribution of queer content among children and young people. According to the Kremlin-critical Telegram channel “Verstka,” the revenue that the Russian state received from fines for alleged “LGBT propaganda” increased eighty-fold in the past five years.
The Supreme Court’s most recent decision has once again caused great fear – and uncertainty – among queer people in Russia due to the many open questions about the specific effects. “What type of “LGBT movement” has been banned by the Supreme Court?” asked the independent news portal “Meduza” – and then answered itself: “We don’t know.”
Negotiation behind closed doors
Citing lawyers, the medium wrote that all people in Russia who are open about their queer sexuality or identity are now most likely at risk. There was also criticism that the court hearing lasted just four hours and was held behind closed doors.
The Russian LGBTQI+ ban also caused great outrage abroad. Bundestag member and deputy FDP parliamentary group leader Michael Link said: “Putin is showing once again how much he fears freedom of expression and the free development of the individual and is therefore creating an ever more repressive and discriminatory regime in Russia.”
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
