Russia Adds International LGBT Movement to List of Extremist Organizations
The state media in Russia announced on Friday (March 22) that the country has added the international LGBT movement to a list of extremist and terrorist organizations. This decision follows a ruling by Russia’s Supreme Court in November that designated LGBT activists as extremists.
Concerns Raised by LGBT Advocates
Advocates for the LGBT community have expressed concerns over the potential consequences of this decision, fearing that it could lead to arrests and legal actions against them.
Rosfinmonitoring and the Extremist List
The extremist list, maintained by the agency Rosfinmonitoring, empowers them to freeze the bank accounts of over 14,000 individuals and entities designated as extremists and terrorists. This list includes a wide range of groups, from Al Qaeda to U.S. tech giant Meta and associates of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
Impact on LGBT Social Movement
The new listing specifically targets the international LGBT social movement and its structural units, according to state news agency RIA.
Russia’s Stance on Family Values
Under President Vladimir Putin’s leadership, Russia has been moving towards promoting what he considers traditional family values, diverging from what he perceives as decadent Western ideologies. Over the past decade, Russia has implemented stricter regulations on expressions of sexual orientation and gender identity, including laws against promoting non-traditional sexual relations and prohibiting legal or medical gender changes.