The Supreme Court of Russia forbids the “International LGBT Public Movement”

On Monday, November 30-In the most recent effort to stifle free speech and expression, the Russian Supreme Court outlawed the so-called “international LGBT public movement” and designated it as an “extremist organization”—despite providing no precise description of what constitutes an organization.

According to the BBC, Russia’s Justice Ministry submitted a request for the ban on November 17th, claiming “extremist activity” and encouraging “social and religious strife.”

The Justice Ministry representatives and the justices participated in a four-hour closed-door hearing that resulted in the ban; no members of the “international LGBT movement” were present.

Judge Oleg Nefedov let journalists into the courtroom so they could hear him read the verdict.

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According to Reuters, Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, told reporters that Russian President Vladimir Putin was “not following” the case and had no comments regarding the verdict.

Under Russian criminal law, membership in or funding of an officially recognized extremist organization carries a maximum sentence of 12 years in jail.

Non-governmental groups including Human Rights Watch and U.N. Human Rights Chief Volker Turk harshly condemned the decision and urged Russia to “repeal immediately” the rule along with other laws that discriminate against people.

Russia’s parliament approved a law outlawing “LGBT propaganda” in November 2022. All outward expressions of support for same-sex partnerships are now prohibited for kids under a 2013 rule that outlawed “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships.” When the Russian legislature unanimously decided to forbid transgender healthcare, gender identity changes on official documents, transgender weddings, and adoptions by transgender adults in July, the restrictions were tightened even more.