The Tagansky District Court in Moscow has fined Telegram 4 million roubles (approximately US$44,000) for failing to remove queer channels (under Part 2 of Article 13.41 of the Administrative Code), reported TASS.
The press release refers to “10 channels dedicated to same-sex sexual relationships” found by Roskomnadzor staff, which they had first demanded be deleted; when this was unsuccessful, they drew up a report.
12:21 “Mediazona” drew attention to the decision published by the Tagansky court.
The document lists links to projects which, according to Roskomnadzor, “promote non-traditional sexual relationships, paedophilia, and gender transition.” These include the channels of the Sphere Foundation, which provides assistance to LGBTQ+ people; the European human rights organisation EQUAL PostOst; and sex educator and queer activist Sasha Kazantseva.
The decision also states that Telegram did not remove channels where calls for unauthorised mass events were published. Among those named in the document are the channels of the Bashkort unit, fighting on the side of Ukraine, and activists from Bashkortostan (a republic in the Urals), as well as the “FSB Boutique” channel.
Asya Sokolova for OVD-Info
The adoption of the “LGBT propaganda” law marked not only widespread censorship but also intensified repression against LGBTQ people and the organisations that support them. With the designation of the “International LGBT Movement” as an “extremist organisation,” this pressure has increased once again.
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