Raids on gay clubs in Moscow after ‘extremism’ decree Deadly attack on a village festival: France sees its intact rural life threatened

According to the media, Russian police have raided nightclubs in the capital Moscow, including for homosexuals, following a new ‘extremism’ decree. On Saturday evening, the men in uniform broke into major clubs in Moscow under the pretext of looking for drugs, media and social networks reported. Arrests also took place. There was initially no comment from the police, who, according to eyewitnesses, also photographed passports, including those of foreigners.

Russia’s Supreme Court on Thursday approved a Justice Ministry request to classify the “movement” for the rights of sexual minorities and people with different gender identities as “extremist.” In Russia, lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual (LGBT) people, among others, have been subject to increasing political persecution for years.

A court in St. Petersburg on Friday ordered a music television channel to pay 500,000 rubles (5,088 euros) for showing a video of Russian pop star Sergei Lazarev showing a scene of tenderness between two women. The video for the song ‘Tak krassiwo’ (in German: So beautiful) violated the ban on ‘gay propaganda’, which criminalises public expressions of same-sex love. Although homosexuality is not prohibited in Russia, it is largely taboo.

Under Russian President Vladimir Putin, who sees himself as a fighter against Western liberalism, repression against sexual minorities and people with different gender identities has increased dramatically in recent years. Many of those affected have left Russia in fear for their lives. Commentators speak of an ‘Iranization’ or ‘Nazification’ of the country. Human rights activists complain that violence against homosexuals and calls for murder often have no consequences for the perpetrators. (sda/dpa)