Two Gay Club Employees Arrested in Russia under Extremist Law

MOSCOW, RU — (03-20-24) — In a first under Russia’s LGBTQ Extremist Law, two Gay Club employees have been arrested under the new draconian law and have been sent to pretrial detention for two months on a charge of creating an extremist group.

It is the first criminal case brought since Russia’s Supreme Court outlawed the so-called “International LGBT movement” last November.

If found guilty, defendants Alexander Klimov and Diana Kamilyanova face up to ten years in jail. They both will remain in custody until May 18.

The Supreme Court said that the defendants “acted in premeditation with a group of people… who also support the views and activities of the international public association LGBT”.

Police raided Club Pose in early March following a request from the DA’s office. They were reportedly accompanied by members from a local nationalist group called “Russian Community”.

A statement posted on the nationalist group’s site said that items confiscated during the police raid at the club included a female stage costume, five female wigs, and fake female breasts.

Russian police officers began raiding Gay clubs across the country soon after the Supreme Court’s decision last year.

Ksenia Mikhailova, a lawyer for Russian LGBT group “Coming Out”, said “The Orenburg case was “a big surprise” which could show the authorities are now treating instances of so-called LGBT propaganda as a criminal rather than an administrative offense, as had previously been the case.” said Mikhailova.

Since Russia’s Supreme Court labeled the “international LGBT movement” as an extremist organization, the rainbow flag is now also considered a symbol of extremism.