Russian LGBT groups begin process of dissolution in wake of Supreme Court’s ‘extremist’ ruling

Human rights groups have begun reacting to the decision by Russia’s Supreme Court on Thursday to deem the “International LGBT Public Movement” an “extremist organisation”.

Gay human rights non-profit organisation DELO LGBT+ told Novaya Europe that it had dissolved itself in the wake of the court’s ruling.

Konstantin Boykov, a lawyer for the group, said that some of the organisation’s staff members would now resettle outside Russia, while others would continue their human rights work as independent lawyers or go to work for other groups.

"No matter how much we would like to do otherwise, we are forced to close DELO LGBT+. Because otherwise we will be recognised as extremists … Now we are taking a big risk, nobody wants to go to prison, so we are forced to dissolve ourselves.”

“It’s bad news. We have unresolved legal issues, we want to finish everything not just for the organisation, but for ourselves,” Boykov added.

In a closed session on Thursday, Russia’s Supreme Court in Moscow declared the “International LGBT Public Movement” an “extremist” organisation, banning it with immediate effect.