A Russian judicial panel on Tuesday officially classified a major LGBTQ+ advocacy organization as an extremist entity, marking another escalation in the government’s ongoing campaign against the community under President Vladimir Putin’s leadership.
The St. Petersburg City Court conducted the closed-door proceeding to ban the Coming Out organization under extremist classifications. Russian officials have kept details of the Justice Ministry’s lawsuit, filed last month, completely confidential.
Despite the ruling, the organization, which now functions from international locations, has committed to continuing its mission of supporting LGBTQ+ individuals in Russia and worldwide while advocating for their civil rights.
“We have been preparing for this development for a long time. We enhanced security, developed sustainable work formats and continue to act responsibly, first and foremost for those who count on us,” Coming Out said in an online statement.
“Today it is especially important not to give into fear and not to be alone. Our community is stronger than any labels, and history has proven that.”
This marks the first LGBTQ+ advocacy organization to receive this designation following the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision that essentially prohibited all LGBTQ+ activism nationwide. Legal proceedings against two additional LGBTQ+ organizations remain pending in St. Petersburg and Samara region courts.
Russia’s LGBTQ+ population has endured mounting legal restrictions and social hostility for more than ten years, with conditions worsening significantly since the military action in Ukraine began. Putin has framed the Ukrainian conflict as a confrontation with Western nations, which he claims seek to undermine Russia and its traditional family structures through LGBTQ+ advocacy.
Since then, any media representation of gay and transgender individuals in positive or neutral contexts has been prohibited. Medical procedures for gender transition and official document changes reflecting gender identity are also banned.
The Supreme Court’s November 2023 ruling declared what officials termed “the international LGBT movement” an extremist organization, making community involvement grounds for criminal prosecution and imprisonment.
Following that decision, law enforcement conducted raids on gay establishments, nightclubs, and drag performance venues across Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other cities. Criminal charges related to “LGBT movement” participation have been filed, with individuals receiving fines for displaying items authorities consider extremist symbols, including rainbow flags.
Denis Oleinik, executive director of the Coming Out organization, stated that Russian officials aim to make the LGBTQ+ community “as vulnerable, as lonely as possible.”
The organization, previously headquartered in St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, has operated exclusively from international locations since the full-scale Ukrainian invasion began. While no longer providing in-person support groups or local activities, the group continues offering remote psychological and legal assistance. It also collaborates with international organizations on Russian LGBTQ+ rights advocacy and assists those leaving the country, Oleinik explained to The Associated Press in February.
The extremist classification creates safety risks for individuals sharing Coming Out materials publicly or for anyone within Russia or visiting the country who contributes financially to the organization, according to Oleinik.
The designation also intimidates people from seeking assistance and discourages other advocacy groups or media organizations from collaboration, Oleinik noted. Family members of activists who speak publicly may also face potential risks.
However, Oleinik emphasized that “we can provide help, and receiving our help is also allowed.”
