Russia's Supreme Court Bans Alleged "International LGBT Public Movement" as Extremist Organization
ICARO Media Group
Despite the fact that this alleged movement lacks any organizational structure, leaders, membership, website, or address, the ban could have significant repercussions for LGBT individuals in Russia. It opens the possibility of prosecuting any LGBT organization, activity, communication, or mutual support initiative, including those conducted online.
Critics have labeled the ruling as legal nonsense, but it appears that the Kremlin is banking on global homophobia as a unifying ideology that will unite intolerant countries, particularly in the Middle East and Africa, against the liberal West. Homosexuality is illegal in numerous Middle Eastern and African nations, making anti-LGBT policies a popular cause among certain populist movements, such as Uganda, which recently criminalized same-sex relationships and introduced penalties, including the potential for a death sentence.
The ban, delivered in a closed hearing, has shocked liberal Russians. In a show of solidarity with the LGBT community, leading independent media organizations have displayed the LGBT flag on their social media pages. However, the full extent of the ban's legal implications remains unclear.
Activists argue that Russian authorities are employing the court system to criminalize and persecute LGBT individuals. The sweeping and vague nature of the ban raises concerns about which actions and organizations may be targeted as extremist. Such legal obscurantism is characteristic of President Vladimir Putin's regime, which often creates confusion and fear, potentially leading to arrests and imprisonment.
Various LGBT rights groups, including Delo LGBT+ and Center T, which offer legal advocacy for queer and transgender people respectively, could now face disbandment. Those who attempt to support LGBT individuals could be charged and potentially imprisoned for up to ten years, while individual participants in the so-called movement could face six-year terms.
The motion made by the Justice Ministry implies that LGBT individuals are part of a shadowy global organization with extremist goals aimed at harming Russia. The Kremlin has long asserted that the promotion of "decadent" Western values by the United States and its European allies poses a threat to so-called traditional family values.
The fact that none of the arguments or evidence presented in court were made public, and that no representatives from LGBT organizations were allowed to argue against the ban, has magnified the secrecy surrounding the judicial process. This secrecy reinforces the fears and anger within Russia's LGBT community that authorities are utilizing the judicial system to instigate hatred against them and paint them as representatives of "decadence."
In response to the judgment, a Russian LGBT Telegram channel, Guys+, referred to the ruling as a "parody" and an attempt by the state to degrade LGBTQ+ people and treat them as second-class citizens. The lack of transparency and involvement in the court hearing has led the channel to claim that the trial is taking place without their participation.
The ban on the alleged international LGBT movement follows earlier repressive laws against LGBT rights in Russia, including a ban on "LGBT propaganda," which made it illegal to disseminate information about LGBT identities, and a ban on transgender individuals legally transitioning or accessing surgery or hormonal treatments.
This latest ban comes as President Putin continues to push for what he refers to as "traditional" values, which includes imposing stricter regulations on abortion, encouraging women to prioritize having multiple children at a young age, and attacking transgender rights and parental rights for LGBT individuals.
Amid the uncertainty surrounding what may be considered extremist behavior, LGBT organizations in Russia are rushing to provide advice on how to protect oneself. Renat Davletgildeev, an LGBT activist and journalist, has advised LGBT-identifying Russians to consider leaving the country and calls on international rights organizations to assist those seeking refuge outside Russia.
Although some critics have raised doubts about the Justice Ministry's motion and the lack of evidence for the existence of the alleged international LGBT movement, the Supreme Court's endorsement of the ban stands as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by the LGBT community in Russia.
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