By Anugrah KumarChristian Mail Contributor Monday, March 25, 2024

Russia has designated the “LGBT movement” on its list of extremist and terrorist organizations, complying with a Supreme Court ruling last year.

State media reported that the “LGBT movement” has been added to the list maintained by the Rosfinmonitoring agency, which works to combat terror financing and has the power to freeze the bank accounts of more than 14,000 entities and individuals designated as extremists.

The name applies to the “international LGBT social movement and its structural units”, according to state news agency RIA. The Rosfinmonitoring list currently contains 511 organizations.

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Also Russian media notes that the Russian Ministry of Justice included the “LGBT movement” in a list of banned and liquidated organizations in March.

The move sparked international condemnation and concerns about human rights violations.

In November, the Supreme Court of Russia ruled the LGBT activists as extremists based on a motion presented by the Russian Ministry of Justice to ban the “activity of the movement on the territory of the Russian Federation.”

According to the human rights group Amnesty Internationala person convicted of involvement in LGBT-affiliated “extremist organizations” could face between five to 10 years in prison.

“This phrase, used by the Russian Ministry of Justice, seems to target not an established, clearly defined group or initiative, but any activism in defense of the human rights of LGBT people or even any public association with the LGBT community”, Amnesty International. reported

At the time, a spokesman for the Russian Orthodox Church, which faced international scrutiny for its leaders' support for the invasion of Ukraine, called the verdict “a form of moral self-defense by society” against attacks on “the Christian idea of ​​marriage and family of the public and legal spheres.”

That ruling followed a broader trend of tightening restrictions on LGBT expressions in Russia, emphasizing traditional family values. Laws were enacted against the promotion of “unconventional” sexual relations and sex changes, reflecting the attitude of the government against Western liberal attitudes.

In 2022, Russia expanded laws to allow against “LGBT propaganda”, with critics saying it gives authorities the ability to fine any person or group that promotes homosexuality.

The European Union criticized the Supreme Court ruling.

“Amid the decades-long crackdown on LGBTIQ people's rights unleashed under President Putin, this decision aims to further persecute the LGBTIQ community in Russia and aims to stifle civil society and those bravely defending human rights,” the EU said in a message. statement then. “This decision will prevent LGBT people from enjoying their human rights and dignity due to fears of unjustified persecution.”

Last year, the Russian Orthodox Church broken bonds with Western churches supportive of LGBT rights.

Putin's rhetoric has increasingly targeted Western liberal values, accusing them of undermining traditional family structures and promoting harmful ideologies.

Last February, Putin appeared to suggest that the advancement of same-sex marriage and other rights for LGBT-identified people was destroying the institution of the family and promoting pedophilia.

“Look at what they're doing with their own people,” he said. “It is about the destruction of the family, of the cultural and national identity, perversion and abuse of children, including pedophilia, all of which are declared normal in their lives.”

As an illustration, Putin claimed that priests were forced to “bless same-sex marriages.” Although Putin was likely referring to the Church of England's plans to bless same-sex marriages, the policy gives priests autonomy not to bless same-sex marriages.

“Look at the holy scriptures and the main books of other world religions,” Putin said at the time. “They say everything, including that the family is the union of a man and a woman, but these sacred texts are now being questioned.”