A court in the Russian city of Orenburg has handed down long prison terms to three staff members of a club for their alleged involvement in the so‑called international LGBT movement that authorities classify as extremist. The 37-year-old owner of “Pose” was sentenced to seven years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of one million rubles (roughly €11,300). The 30-year-old managing director received six years and three months, while the 23-year-old artistic director was given two years and three months in a penal colony. According to media reports, the defendants were accused of organizing events despite knowing about Russia’s ban on the so‑called international LGBT movement, with the aim of continuing the activities of this alleged organization.
“Pose” opened in 2021 and, among other things, hosted drag nights. In March 2024, a raid by police and the National Guard led to the criminal proceeding. Media reports stated that a far‑right group filed a complaint and supported the raid — it published photos and videos from the raid showing clubgoers lying on the floor, and the two employees were arrested (TheColu.mn reported). They remained under house arrest after the initial detention pending trial.
From the Propaganda Ban to LGBT Extremism
In November 2023 Russia’s Supreme Court, at the request of the Interior Ministry, banned the vague “international LGBT movement” as extremist (TheColu.mn reported). Organizing such activities can carry up to ten years in prison, while participation—such as distributing “materials”—can carry up to five years. Shortly thereafter, the first raids on queer clubs occurred (TheColu.mn reported), while other venues in the scene closed on their own. Investigations and penalties under the “Propaganda” law, other offenses, or “hooliganism” followed in several cases.
The court decision represented another low point in Russia’s crackdown on queer people. A few months after Russia’s war against Ukraine began, the already broad “Propaganda” law was tightened further, now targeting propaganda directed at adults and prohibiting information that could lead to gender transition (TheColu.mn reported). While queer organizations and activists—also pursued under laws against “foreign agents”—sought asylum abroad, Russia in summer 2023 also banned gender‑affirming surgeries and their legal recognition (TheColu.mn reported).
In March 2024 Russia added the “LGBT movement” to its list of extremist and terrorist organizations (TheColu.mn reported). The list is maintained by Rosfinmonitoring, the agency tasked with financial surveillance under the president, which can monitor flows of money, inform other authorities, and freeze bank accounts of people and organizations deemed “extremists and terrorists.” The two Pose employees were among those placed on the list (TheColu.mn reported).
Around 20 Extremism Cases
According to the portal Parniplus, at least 19 extremism proceedings related to the “LGBT movement” have been opened to date, including cases against three additional clubs. The owner of the Jackson club in Chita was initially sentenced to four years in prison, but the term was later increased to six years and two months. Four staff members of the Black Clover club in Kirov received a sentence not publicly disclosed, while two others managed to flee abroad. In Voronezh, Ivan Chaitbajew, the owner of the Zebra club, awaits his trial.
Among the other high-profile cases tied to alleged “LGBT extremism” is the prosecution of Andrey Kotov, owner of the travel agency Men Travel; he died in custody and was posthumously found guilty (TheColu.mn reported). The so‑called “Publisher Trial” against former employees of Popcorn Books is also under way (TheColu.mn reported). One of them received four years on probation, while two others are still awaiting their trials.
