There are still millions of LGBT people living in Russia who need help, information, and a sense of community. “First Department,” together with LGBT rights attorney Max Olenichev is responsible for answers to the most common questions about applying to such projects.
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What's going on?
As of the time of writing (April 2026), nine cases seeking to have LGBTQ initiatives designated as “extremist” are pending in Russian courts.
Organizations whose activities the government is attempting to ban in Russia are dedicated to supporting queer people—providing psychological and legal assistance; creating safe spaces; implement programs aimed at combating discrimination, stereotypes, prejudice, and stigmatization; and raise awareness about the issues facing the LGBTQ community in Russia.
What does this mean for organizations? Will they now shut down and stop providing assistance?
When a court designates an organization as “extremist” and bans its activities in Russia, this has legal consequences for the organization. From that point on, the following are prohibited:
- hold meetings, gatherings, and any other events;
- implement projects;
- hold meetings of governing bodies;
- engage in any other activity.
However, liability for this can only arise after the court’s decision takes effect and the initiative is added to the list of “extremist organizations.”
Despite government bans, support groups are finding ways to continue their work and help queer people in Russia in safe ways.
If a court has declared an LGBT initiative to be “extremist,” can I still turn to it for help?
Yes. To date, there has not been a single case of persecution against a person who sought psychological, legal, or other assistance from an LGBT initiative. Currently, such actions do not fall under the definition of “LGBT extremism.”
However, if a person receives advice from an LGBT initiative on activism in Russia, this could theoretically be classified as “participation in the activities of an extremist organization.”
Seeking individual counseling on behalf of an LGBT initiative is not a crime and is generally safe. If you are in Russia, it is best to stay informed about the practices of law enforcement agencies and follow basic safety rules to minimize risks as much as possible. This is discussed in the last paragraph.
Is it safe to seek help from professionals (doctors, psychologists, lawyers, and others) on a private basis?
Yes. The Russian Supreme Court’s ruling designating the nonexistent “International LGBT Public Movement” as “extremist” does not prohibit queer people from being themselves or from seeking help with all the issues that non-LGBT people also seek help with.
Seeking medical, psychological, social, legal, and other assistance from specialists who work as private practitioners, the self-employed, or sole proprietors, and who are affiliated with commercial and nonprofit, government and nongovernmental organizations is not considered a violation of the law on “LGBT extremism.”
Is it okay to watch live streams by LGBTQ initiatives? To follow their public pages and the channels of LGBTQ bloggers? To read their posts?
Yes, all of this is safe and is not considered a violation of the law.
But if you plan to participate in online events, ask speakers questions, or chat, it’s important to do so not under your real name, but anonymously or using altered information. Open communication during live streams of LGBT initiatives may be considered “participation in the activities of an extremist organization.”
Anonymous participation will prevent law enforcement from gathering evidence and pursuing legal action. When communicating this way, it’s important to always use a VPN, avoid using your real name, refrain from sharing photos of yourself, and keep your camera off. If the broadcast is taking place in a browser, connect via incognito mode and clear your browsing history after the event ends.
What else can I do to protect myself if I'm in Russia and reach out to LGBTQ initiatives for help?
You should not repost content from LGBTQ initiatives’ social media pages or publish their logos and rainbow symbols. Depending on the situation, this could result in an administrative offense report being filed under Article 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses or the initiation of a criminal case under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code.
Use a VPN during online consultations and live streams.
Do not use Russian services for communication: Yandex Telemost, Max, Mail.Ru, VKontakte, and others. Russian LGBT initiatives will never suggest that you communicate via unsafe services.
Seek advice only from LGBT organizations you trust, follow their safety guidelines, and stay up to date on any changes to those guidelines.
If you're connecting from Russia to an open online event on LGBTQ topics, it's best not to turn on your video, to remove your photo from your profile, and not to join the livestream using your real name.
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