“This is the moral self-defense of society”: LGBT* people have been banned in Russia

The Supreme Court of Russia declared the LGBT movement extremist

Photo: Alexey BULATOV

So from now on, the LGBT movement in Russia should be written exclusively with an asterisk.

approximately like ISIS* or with brackets indicating that this organization is extremist and banned.

On November 30, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation decided to consider the “International LGBT Movement”* as extremist and ban it in the country. The meeting lasted about 4 hours behind closed doors. Only the plaintiff, the Russian Ministry of Justice, appeared. The defendant’s representatives did not attend the trial. And the case material amounted to 20 volumes.

The Supreme Court’s decision takes effect immediately.

Previously, the press service of the Ministry of Justice reported that “signs and manifestations of extremist orientation, including incitement to social and religious discord,” were identified in the activities of the LGBT* movement in Russia.

And the representative of Orthodoxy is the deputy. Chairman of the Synodal Department for Relations with Society and the Media of the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church Vakhtang Kipshidze commented on the Supreme Court’s decision: “This is a form of moral self-defense of society. We know that the activities of LGBT* movements aim to displace the Christian idea of ​​marriage and family. And this, of course, results in a violation of the rights of believers… And, as can be judged by what happens in countries where LGBT* people are given freedom of activity, it also has signs of extremism …”

Recall that in December of last year, Vladimir Putin signed a law prohibiting LGBT* propaganda, pedophilia and gender reassignment in Russia. LGBT propaganda is punishable by a fine of up to 400 thousand rubles, and for legal entities – up to 5 million rubles.

“I am sure that this decision of the Supreme Commander does not in any way affect the personal lives of citizens. “Nothing will change here,” lawyer Dmitry Agronovsky commented on Radio Komsomolskaya Pravda. – The ban specifically applies to the movement that targets destructive activities in Russia. Just like the organizers of the provocations during the Bolotnaya protests. They are not intended to protect anyone, but rather to look for examples of infringement and turn them into a scandal. But whether its symbols will be banned along with the movement and whether the LGBT* abbreviation itself will have to be labeled as “extremist” or only when referring to the LGBT* movement, we will have to wait for the Supreme Court or the Supreme Court to clarify. Ministry of Justice.”

*The movement is recognized as extremist in Russia.