International News Russian authorities arrest several employees of Russia’s largest book publisher over alleged LGBTQ+ “propaganda” and “extremism” The Russian government unleashed a new wave of repression against LGBTQ+ people on Wednesday, 14 May after law enforcement authorities searched the offices of Russia’s largest book publisher and arrested several employees over alleged LGBTQ+ “propaganda” and “extremism”. According to a state-run new By Graham Robson • 1 min read
LGBTQ+ News Russian authorities declare Elton John AIDS Foundation as “undesirable” for supporting LGBTQ+ rights Russian authorities have effectively banned the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF), which focuses on HIV/AIDS prevention, from the country, declaring the Foundation as “undesirable” for supporting LGBTQ+ rights. Founded by Elton John in 1992, the organisation funds HIV treatment programmes globally, By Graham Robson • 1 min read
LGBTQ+ News Multiple Russians fined for “looking too gay” in anti-LGBTQ+ crackdown Multiple people have been fined for “looking too gay” due to their choice of outfits after a police raid on a Russian nightclub. In February 2024, eight people were arrested following a police raid on a nightclub in Tula, 120 miles south of Moscow. Seven people were reportedly hit with charges for “ By Graham Robson • 1 min read
LGBTQ+ News Andrei Kotov, a travel agent who was arrested for violating the ban on “LGBT propaganda” in Russia, found dead in his cell in Moscow Andrei Kotov, a travel agent who was arrested for violating the ban on “LGBT propaganda” in Russia, has been found dead in his cell in Moscow where he awaited trial for “extremism charges”. The body of Kotov, who was accused of arranging ‘gay tours’ in Russia and abroad, was allegedly found with sig By Graham Robson • 1 min read
LGBTQ+ News LGBTQ+ crackdown: Police in Moscow raid multiple queer bars in the early hours of Saturday, November 30 Police in Moscow raided multiple queer bars in the early hours of Saturday, November 30 and arrested the director of a travel agency serving LGBTQ+ customers under laws criminalising “LGBT propaganda.” The raids came on the one-year anniversary of Russia’s Supreme Court outlawing the “international By Graham Robson • 1 min read
LGBTQ+ News More than 50 people detained after Russian authorities raid two gay bars in Moscow More than 50 people have been detained in Moscow after two gay bars experienced heavy police raids in the Russian capital on October 11. Photos and videos of these raids were posted on two pro-Russia telegram channels, with one of the posts showing masked police officers storming into the central cl By Graham Robson • 1 min read
LGBTQ+ News Male medic arrestest in Moscow for “satanism” and “promoting same-sex relationships” A male medic was arrested in Moscow on Monday, October 7 for “satanism” and “promoting same-sex relationships”. In recent years, Russia has intensified a legal crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights in defence of what it calls “traditional family values”. In July 2023, Russian lawmakers outlawed legal or medica By Graham Robson • 1 min read
LGBTQ+ News Georgian Nightmare: Georgia’s ruling party passes law curbing LGBTQ+ rights, banning gender transitions and outlawing Pride marches Shalva Papuashvili, a Georgian parliamentary speaker, has signed into law a “family values” bill curbing LGBTQ+ rights, just weeks before a high-stakes parliamentary election. Lawmakers from the ruling Georgian Dream party, which says the law is necessary to protect Georgia’s Orthodox Christian chur By Graham Robson • 1 min read
LGBTQ+ News Russia “absolutely sure” its people won’t be affected by Mpox outbreak due to country’s “traditional values” Russia, which in 2023 ruled the LGBTQ+ movement to be “extremist”, before outlawing it in the country, has said it’s “absolutely sure” that the spread of Mpox is “not something we need to be afraid of” because gays don’t exist in the country. The alert declaring Mpox a clear and present danger to th By Graham Robson • 1 min read
International News Kyiv stages first Pride rally since Russia launched full-scale invasion more than two years ago Several hundred LGBTQ+ activists and allies, including Ukrainian soldiers, marched in central Kyiv on June 16 to demand the government grant them more rights as they took part in the first Pride march in the Ukrainian capital since Russia launched its full-scale invasion more than two years ago. Pro By Graham Robson • 2 min read
E67ANH LGBT rights Russia protest People protests with a placard for the rights of the LGBT community in Russia, Stop violence against Gay Prague pride, Czech Republic International News Two online film distributors charged with offences under Russia’s so-called ‘LGBT propaganda law’. Two online film distributors have been charged with offences under Russia’s so-called ‘LGBT propaganda law’. The companies, Kinopoisk and Restream Media, face an administrative case for the “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships” or “gender reassignment” online, according to the notice By Graham Robson • 1 min read
International News Two arrested in Russia’s first LGBTQ+ ‘extremism’ criminal case A Russian court has ordered a bar administrator and its art director to be placed in custody, accusing them of organising an “extremist organisation” under new legislation criminalising the LGBTQ community. They will remain in custody until May 18 and face up to 10 years in prison, according to the By Graham Robson • 1 min read
