Amnesty International: Reacting to the Russian Ministry of Justice’s move to seek to ban as “extremist” the leading LGBTI organizations in Russia – Russian LGBT Network and the Saint Petersburg-based group Vykhod (Coming Out) – Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, said:

“The Russian authorities are once again abusing vague ‘extremism’ laws to criminalize human rights work, erase independent civil society and intimidate people whose identity does not fit a state-approved narrative.”

“This move reflects a deliberate strategy by the Kremlin to legitimize and weaponize homophobia in its assault on dissent and equality, non-discrimination, and human dignity. This cynical policy, conducted under the pretext of ‘protecting traditional values,’ creates enduring rifts in society, stigmatizes entire communities and does real harm to many people.

“Russia’s authorities must immediately halt their vicious campaign against LGBTI people, end all attempts to undermine, stigmatize and persecute LGBTI organizations and rights activists, and ensure that everyone – regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity – can exercise their rights to freedom of association and expression without fear of discrimination.”

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