Russia has added what it calls the “LGBT movement” to a list of extremist and terrorist organisations. State media is reporting that the move is in line with a ruling by Russia’s Supreme Court last November that LGBT activists should be designated as extremists. Reuters is reporting that representatives of gay and transgender people fear that this will lead to arrests and prosecutions.
It says the list is maintained by an agency called Rosfinmonitoring, which has powers to freeze the bank accounts of the more than 14,000 people and entities designated as extremists and terrorists.
They range from Al Qaeda to U.S. tech giant Meta and associates of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
President Vladimir Putin has been focussing on family values, but has been strong in his criticism of what he calls “decadent Western attitudes”. Russia has tightened restrictions over the past decade on expressions of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Amongst other steps, it has passed laws outlawing the promotion of “non-traditional” sexual relations and banned legal or medical changes of gender. Major human rights organisations have not yet responded to the latest announcement by Russia, but western criticism is expected to be scathing of the latest move against the LGBTQ+ community.
ALSO READ: Russia vows swift action after the Crocus City Hall terror attack
