Moscow:

A Russian court on Wednesday ordered the detention of a bar manager and his artistic director, accusing them of organizing an “extremist organization” under new legislation criminalizing LGBTQ people.

It is the first such criminal case since Russia banned the so-called “international LGBT movement” in November and stepped up a crackdown on the group.

“The court chose a precautionary measure for the artistic director and administrator of the ‘Pose’ bar,” the Orenburg court said.

A court in southwestern Russia said they will be detained until May 18 and face up to 10 years in prison.

The court earlier accused the two suspects of “promoting non-traditional sexual relations among visitors to the bar”.

Law enforcement raided the bar in March, and videos of some clubgoers being humiliatingly detained circulated online.

“The defendants are persons of non-traditional sexual orientation who acted premeditatedly together with a group of people…who also support the views and activities of the International Public Association LGBT,” the court said on Telegram.

Russia has only publicly offered a vague description of what it calls the “international LGBT movement,” paving the way for prosecutions of anyone who protects LGBTQ rights or simply identifies with the group.

Ekaterina Mizulina, director of the Alliance for a Safer Internet and leader of an ultra-traditional faction that pushes for repressive laws, welcomed Monday’s criminal proceedings.

“This is the first criminal case since the Russian Supreme Court decided to recognize LGBT as an extremist movement,” Mizulina said.

“What are they afraid of?”

Mizulina said that in an atmosphere of condemnation by dissidents, “local activists” told police about the club.

The arrests come at a time when ultraconservative shifts have accelerated since the Kremlin launched its offensive in Ukraine.

“What LGBTQ people and human rights activists have feared since late last year is finally happening,” Amnesty International said on Tuesday.

In 2013, lawmakers banned people from promoting “non-traditional” relationships with children, putting intense pressure on society’s liberal wing.

Since launching its military offensive in Ukraine, the Kremlin has further stepped up its conservative rhetoric, casting the conflict as a war against the West and its liberal values.

In December 2022, Putin expanded the scope of the 2013 law to criminalize any public positive reference to LGBTQ people or relationships.

Last July, lawmakers banned medical interventions and administrative procedures that would allow people to change their gender.

In November, the Supreme Court approved a ban on “LGBT sports” that triggered several administrative lawsuits, resulting in fines and short-term detentions.

“The international community must call on the Russian authorities to review the Supreme Court’s ruling on homosexuality and immediately end the persecution of LGBTI people,” Amnesty International said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)