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The Russian Supreme Court has issued a ruling that effectively criminalizes advocacy for the rights of the LGBT community.
According to AP News, on the 30th (local time), the Russian Ministry of Justice announced the result of an administrative lawsuit to ban the activities of the LGBT International Popular Movement in Russia. They stated, “Various signs and manifestations of extremism, including incitement to social and religious hatred.”
The Supreme Court’s ruling came about two weeks after the Ministry of Justice filed a lawsuit on the 17th. The Supreme Court conducted the trial of this case in private, without the defendant’s presence. Some LGBT activists claimed to be the parties to this case, but it is known that the Supreme Court rejected this.
Since the invasion of Ukraine last February, the Russian government has been strengthening its defense of traditional values, criticizing the West for imposing progressive sexual concepts and homosexuality.
In Russia, lawmakers passed a bill last year banning the dissemination of LGBT-related information. In July, they enacted a law that prohibits not only gender changes in official documents and public records but also medical interventions for sex change.
Russian human rights lawyer Max Olenichev expressed concern that the Ministry of Justice could use the label of extremism on the non-existent “International Popular Movement” as a basis for cracking down on LGBT-related activities in Russia.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Folker Türk, urged Russian authorities to immediately abolish laws that improperly restrict the activities of human rights advocates or discriminate against sexual minorities.
By. Seon Miri
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