Russian Police Raid Gay Bars Across Moscow After Court Labels LGBTQ+ Movement ‘Extremist’
Russian security forces launched a series of raids on gay clubs and bars in Moscow on Friday night, just two days after the country’s highest court declared the LGBTQ+ movement as an extremist organization. Acting under the guise of a drug raid, police searched various venues throughout the capital, including a nightclub, a male sauna, and a well-known bar that hosted LGBTQ+ parties. Reports indicate that clubgoers’ identification papers were checked and photographed by security services. Eyewitnesses also disclosed that the establishments had received advance warning from managers prior to the police’s arrival.
The recent raids follow a ruling by Russia’s Supreme Court that designated the LGBTQ+ movement as an extremist organization. This decision is the latest step in President Vladimir Putin’s decade-long crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights, during which he has consistently focused on promoting traditional family values. Activists argue that the lawsuit was filed against a non-official entity, allowing authorities to potentially target any individuals or groups associated with the LGBTQ+ movement under its broad and ambiguous definition.
Since the ruling, several LGBTQ+ venues have already shut down, including the prominent gay club Central Station in St. Petersburg. The venue announced on social media that it would no longer operate due to the new legislation. Max Olenichev, a human rights lawyer working with the Russian LGBTQ+ community, expressed concern that the ruling effectively prohibits organized efforts to defend the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals. Olenichev suggested that Russian authorities might utilize the court ruling to suppress LGBTQ+ initiatives within the country, considering them a part of the prohibited civic movement.
Leading Russian human rights organizations had previously submitted a document to the Supreme Court, criticizing the Justice Ministry’s lawsuit as discriminatory and a violation of the Russian constitution. Despite attempts by some LGBTQ+ activists to participate in the case, they were rebuffed by the court. In 2013, the Kremlin introduced the gay propaganda law, which restricts LGBTQ+ rights by prohibiting any public endorsement of nontraditional sexual relations among minors. Last year, Putin’s constitutional reforms, aimed at extending his rule by two more terms, included a provision that outlawed same-sex marriage.
The Kremlin’s intensified campaign against what it perceives as the West’s degrading influence occurred after it sent troops into Ukraine in 2022. Rights advocates viewed this campaign as an attempt to justify the military aggression. Subsequently, a law was enacted banning the promotion of nontraditional sexual relations among adults, effectively criminalizing any public support for LGBTQ+ individuals. Additionally, a new law passed this year forbids gender transitioning procedures and gender-affirming care for transgender people, including changes to gender markers on official documents and records.
Russian authorities have consistently denied allegations of LGBTQ+ discrimination. Deputy Justice Minister Andrei Loginov recently claimed that the rights of LGBT people in Russia are protected under the law while presenting a report on human rights to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. Loginov argued that restricting the public display of nontraditional sexual relationships or preferences is not a form of censorship against LGBTQ+ individuals.
The details of the Supreme Court case remain classified, leaving LGBTQ+ activists and symbols uncertain about what restrictions they will face. Olga Baranova, director of the Moscow Community Center for LGBTQ+ Initiatives, voiced concerns that many individuals may contemplate leaving Russia in order to avoid potential targeting. Baranova noted, It is clear for us that they’re once again making us out as a domestic enemy to shift the focus from all the other problems that are in abundance in Russia.
In the wake of the recent raids, international human rights organizations and advocates have strongly condemned Russia’s continued repression of LGBTQ+ rights. The global community awaits further developments and the response from Russian authorities as LGBTQ+ individuals face increasing scrutiny and discrimination in the country.
