Supreme Court bans “international LGBT movement” for extremism

The Russian Supreme Court banned the “international LGBT movement”, Thursday, November 30, for extremism, in the midst of a conservative shift in the country, opening the way to legal proceedings against any group defending LGBT+ rights in Russia. Judge Oleg Nefedov clarified that this ban entered “immediately” in force.

The hearing took place without a defender, no organization bearing the name of “international LGBT movement” does not exist in Russia, and behind closed doors, because the case was closed “secret”. In mid-November, the Russian Ministry of Justice asked to qualify “extremist organization” and to prohibit “the international LGBT movement”without clearly saying which organization he was targeting.

Any public activity associated with what Russia considers sexual preferences “non-traditional” could now be sanctioned for “extremism”, a crime punishable by heavy prison sentences in the country. Until now, LGBT+ people risked heavy fines if they engaged in “propaganda”according to the authorities, but no imprisonment.