Russian High Court Bans LGBTQ Activism As “Extremist”

Reuters reports:

Russia’s Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that LGBT activists should be designated as extremists, in a move that representatives of gay and transgender people fear will lead to arrests and prosecutions.

A Reuters reporter in court heard it announce that it had approved a request from the justice ministry to recognise what it called “the international LGBT social movement” as extremist and to ban its activities.

The move is part of a pattern of increasing restrictions in Russia on expressions of sexual orientation and gender identity, including laws outlawing the promotion of “non-traditional” sexual relations and banning legal or medical changes of gender.

The New York Times reports:

Gay rights activists and other experts say the ruling will put gay people and their organizations under the threat of being criminally prosecuted at any time for something as simple as displaying symbols like the rainbow flag or for endorsing the statement “Gay rights are human rights.” That prospect has heightened angst and alarm in the country’s already beleaguered gay communities.

“It is not the first time we are being targeted, but at the same time, it is another blow,” said Alexander Kondakov, a Russian sociologist at University College Dublin, who studies the intersection of law and security for the L.G.B.T.Q. communities. “You are already marked as foreign, as bad, as a source of propaganda, and now you are labeled an extremist — and the next step is terrorist.”

The cult is celebrating on social media.

Today, Russia’s Supreme Court designated the “international LGBT movement” as an “extremist organisation,” following a motion filed by the Ministry of Justice. It took judge Oleg Nefedov 4 hours to make the decision pic.twitter.com/U3LZ72ISLB

— Mediazona English (@mediazona_en) November 30, 2023

Russia’s top court declared an “international LGBT public movement” to be an extremist organization, potentially paving the way for a new wave of repression https://t.co/ALMsMi3DO5

— Bloomberg (@business) November 30, 2023

The Supreme Court of Russia has recognized the LGBT movement as extremist and has banned its activities within the country.

The decision to completely ban the LGBT movement in Russia comes into effect immediately. pic.twitter.com/DGPcYzygFZ

— Constantin von Hoffmeister (@constantinvonh) November 30, 2023

Russia has effectively outlawed any public LGBTI-related activity, calling the ‘international public LGBT movement’ as ‘extremist’.

The decision is shameful and absurd.

Read more
https://t.co/JozPXQNJ4X

— Amnesty International (@amnesty) November 30, 2023

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