Russian authorities declare two LGBTQ projects "extremist"

We are talking about the projects "Guys Plus" and "Moscow Community Center for LGBT Initiatives". Both organizations said they would continue their work.

The Zavodskoy District Court of the Oryol Region granted the Russian Ministry of Justice’s petition, designating the LGBTQ media project “Parni Plus” as an “extremist organization.”. The project, which has been operating in Russia since 2008, announced that it plans to appeal this decision and does not intend to cease its activities.

Grounds for the Court's Decision According to a statement by the project team, an expert report was attached to the case file, in which the following were cited as “evidence of extremism”:

• stories of queer people from various regions of Russia;
• articles on self-acceptance and resources on LGBTQ families;
• monitoring cases of discrimination;
• A recording of a webinar featuring a lawyer and a psychologist discussing the law on “LGBTQ propaganda.”

Experts also viewed reports of violations of the rights of LGBTQ people as "hostile activities against Russia".

History and Activities of the Project "Guys Plus" was founded nearly 18 years ago by employees of nonprofit organizations. The project's main areas of focus are:

• sexual and mental health, including issues related to living with HIV;
• family relationships and community safety;
• conducting counseling sessions and support groups.

Currently, the project publishes Russia's largest LGBTQ media outlet.

The team's reaction The project’s editor-in-chief, Evgeny Pisemsky, stated that the government considers the truth about LGBT people to be more dangerous than any propaganda. “When the government labels people who write about love, rights, and mental health as extremists, it is essentially admitting that the truth about LGBT people is more dangerous to it than any propaganda,” he emphasized.

A similar position adheres to the team at the “Moscow Community Center for LGBT Initiatives.” In February 2022, the project was designated a “foreign agent.” The center began operations in 2015—it provides legal and psychological assistance to LGBTQ people and organizes meetings, lectures, support groups, workshops, and other educational and recreational events.