Russian LGBT Network Says It Will Close After Authorities Declare It ‘Extremist’
The Russian LGBT Network, the country’s largest organisation supporting queer people and coordinating regional groups, has announced it will stop public activities and shut down after being labeled an “extremist organisation” by Russian authorities. The group said the state designation makes any association with it a legal and security risk for staff, volunteers and the people they assist, and cited safety concerns as the reason for ending public-facing work.
By Alexander Walter
1,083 views
The Russian LGBT Network has announced that it will cease public activities and close in response to its designation by Russian authorities as an “extremist organisation.” In a statement published on its Telegram channel, the group said the legal label makes any public association with the organisation dangerous for those involved and for the people it serves.
“Біз қауіп-қатерді мұқият бағалаған соң осындай шешім қабылдадық. Мұндай жағдайда қоғамдық қызметті жалғастыру ұйым жұмысына қатысқан, оны қолдаған немесе көмек алған адамдарға қауіп төндіруі мүмкін. Біз репрессия жайлаған ортаны бақылауда ұстай алмаймыз, бірақ адамдарға қосымша қауіп-қатер тудырмау үшін қолдан келгеннің бәрін жасай аламыз. Адамдардың қауіпсіздігі – бәрінен маңызды”, the organisation said, repeating that protecting the safety of staff, volunteers and beneficiaries is its top priority.
The organisation said it will no longer hold public events and that its social media accounts will be deleted in the near future. The announcement followed a series of official actions that had increasingly isolated the network: in 2021 Russia’s Justice Ministry added the group to its register of NGOs designated as "foreign agents", and it was later declared "extremist" by state authorities.
Founded in 2006, the Russian LGBT Network brought together LGBT organisations across different regions of Russia and grew into the country’s largest group dedicated to combating discrimination and defending the rights of LGBT people. Its activities included documenting persecution of queer people in regions such as the North Caucasus and arranging evacuations for those whose lives and freedoms were at risk. The organisation also provided or facilitated legal, medical and social-support services for vulnerable individuals.
Human rights advocates and independent observers say the Russian state has broadened the use of its "extremism" and "foreign agent" laws in recent years to silence dissent and constrain civil society. In November 2023, Russia’s supreme court recognised the "Халықаралық ЛГБТ қозғалысын" (International LGBT Movement) as an extremist organisation. Since then, authorities have increasingly treated public statements about homosexuality or transgender identity that are not accusatory as potential evidence of "supporting extremism," exposing individuals and groups to criminal liability, according to rights groups.
Following the 2023 ruling and subsequent enforcement actions, more than ten human-rights and queer-support organisations that provided social support, helped access medical care, and offered legal protection to queer people were also declared extremist and forced to wind down operations. The designation of such organisations has had a chilling effect across Russian civil society: people and groups providing humanitarian and advocacy services say the risk of prosecution or reprisals makes it difficult or impossible to continue open work.
The Russian LGBT Network’s announcement underscores the immediate practical consequences of the state’s legal designations. By declaring an organisation "extremist," Russian authorities create severe legal and social penalties for association, including the prospect of criminal charges for those deemed to support or collaborate with the group. For an organisation whose work included evacuating people facing violent persecution, documenting abuses and providing essential services, the decision to cease public activity represents both a loss of capacity for those in immediate danger and a wider retrenchment of protection networks within Russia.
International and domestic human-rights defenders have repeatedly warned that closing legal avenues for support will leave vulnerable queer individuals with fewer options to seek assistance or escape violence. The Russian LGBT Network’s statement framed its closure as a pragmatic choice to prevent adding to the risks faced by its constituency, but the move also marks a significant contraction in organised assistance and advocacy for LGBT people inside Russia.
