Elton John AIDS Foundation labelled ‘undesirable’ in Russia despite crisis in HIV care

The Elton John AIDS Foundation has been declared an “undesirable” organisation in Russia, the country’s Prosecutor General’s Office announced on Thursday.

Being declared “undesirable” effectively makes an organisation’s work in Russia impossible. In its statement, the Prosecutor General’s Office accused the foundation of working closely with nonprofit organisations in Russia that had been deemed “foreign agents”, another tool used by the Russian government to restrict the work of individuals or organisations it deems problematic.

The Prosecutor General’s Office also noted that though the foundation’s stated aim was to support the prevention of and fight against HIV/AIDS, the foundation in fact “focused more on promoting non-traditional sexual relations, Western family models, and gender reassignment”.

“When a musician plays along with those trying to sow the seeds of democracy, it is propaganda. And when it’s Elton John calling the tune, then it’s more than just anti-Russian propaganda too,” the statement read.

The Russian authorities have increasingly cracked down on the country’s LGBT community in recent years, with the existing law banning so-called LGBT “propaganda” being tightened and Russia’s Supreme Court declaring the non-existent “international LGBT movement” to be an “extremist organisation” in November 2023.

The Elton John AIDS Foundation is a nonprofit set up by the British superstar in 1992 to support innovative HIV prevention, education programmes, direct care and support services for people living with or at risk of HIV around the world.

As of late 2023, 1.2 million Russians were confirmed to be living with HIV, according to Rospotrebnadzor, the federal agency for consumer rights protection and human well-being. Russia began experiencing chronic shortages of HIV medication in 2023, since when patients have had difficulty accessing HIV tests and life-saving antiretroviral therapy.