Russia has officially designated the “LGBT movement” as an extremist and terrorist organization, according to state media reports released on Friday.
This decision aligns with a ruling made by Russia’s Supreme Court in November of last year, which declared LGBT activists as extremists. The move has raised concerns among representatives of the gay and transgender community, who fear potential arrests and prosecutions as a result of this designation.
The list of extremist and terrorist organizations is maintained by an agency known as Rosfinmonitoring. This agency possesses the authority to freeze the bank accounts of more than 14,000 individuals and entities designated as extremists and terrorists. Among those listed are organizations ranging from Al Qaeda to U.S. tech giant Meta, as well as associates of the late Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny.
According to state news agency RIA, the new listing specifically refers to the “international LGBT social movement and its structural units.” This designation comes as part of a broader trend under President Vladimir Putin’s leadership, which emphasizes traditional family values and seeks to counter perceived Western decadence. Over the past decade, Russia has implemented increasingly stringent restrictions on expressions of sexual orientation and gender identity.
In recent years, Russia has enacted laws aimed at curbing what it views as the promotion of “non-traditional” sexual relations. Additionally, legal or medical changes of gender have been prohibited under these laws. These measures reflect a broader societal shift in Russia towards stricter regulation of sexual orientation and gender identity, aligning with President Putin’s vision of conservative values.
This is coming as report says a concert hall in Moscow was attacked, leaving at least 40 persons dead on Friday night.
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