Russian authorities have initiated the country’s first-ever criminal case into “LGBT extremism,” according to Yekaterina Mizulina, head of the Kremlin-aligned Safe Internet League.
Mizulina asserted that criminal charges were filed “in connection with the activities of the LGBT club Pose.” Russian media reported that visitors of the club informed law enforcement that the establishment was purportedly endorsing the “LGBT extremist movement.”
In December, the Russian Supreme Court jeopardized the safety and welfare of LGBTQ people in the country by deeming what it terms the “international LGBT public movement” as “extremist.” The ruling did not specify the nature of this movement, but Russian officials have historically employed this phrase to dismantle LGBTQ organizations, target LGBTQ individuals, and suppress LGBTQ communities, according to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).
“There is no justice in this decision, there is no justice in governing based on fear, and there is no justice in a country that is intent on criminalizing people on the basis of who they are or who they love,” Jean Freedberg, HRC’s Director of Global Partnerships, said in a statement.
As reported by The New York Times, the Russian Ministry of Justice brought the case to the Supreme Court on November 17. The ruling was handed down in a hidden four-hour session in which opposing arguments were reportedly not permitted.
“This is a........