"Black day for the whole industry"

Ekmo employees, the largest book publishing house in the Russian Federation, are accused of extremism because of the Summer in the Pioneer Tip and other Quirry Literature. This is how the "Book publishers' Case works

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On May 14, searches were held with the current and former employees of the largest Russian publishing house Eksmo . As part of the criminal investigation into extremism in Moscow , about 10 people were detained. Among them are the exim distribution director Anatoly Novyytkin, the head of the Individuum and Popcorn Books editors Dmitry Protopopov, the head of the sales department of these editions Artem Vakhlyaev, the deputy head of the copyright department of Inessa Nurtdinov, as well as the former Sales Director Pavel Ivanov.

The press release of the Investigative Committee of Russia says that the criminal case was brought under the article on “Organization of the activities of an extremist organization” (part 1, 2 and 3 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). According to investigators, the employees of the individual Print LLC "from selfish motives published and sold books that promote the activities of the LGBT movement recognized as an extremist organization in Russia."

“This is the first case of“ LGBT-Exstromism ”in relation to publishers and bookstores,” writes Max Olenichev’s LGBT lawyer from the human rights project “First Department”. - By the scale of the actions, it is clear that the security forces watched them for a long time and prepared operational materials. This is the next demonstration case, which followed the recognition of the extremist non -existent organization “International Social Movement of LGBT”. ”

The Investigative Committee said that during searches from apartments and from the places of work of the detainees, more than a thousand copies of “prohibited literature” were seized. According to the “first department”, 10 books appear in the criminal case:

• “Summer in the Pioneer Tip” and “What Swallow” is silent about Elena Malisova and Katerina Silvanova
• "Windows to the courtyard" and "Notebook to the cell" Mikita Franco
• “HeartStopper. With bated breath "Alice Osman
• "Aristotle and Dante reveal the secrets of the universe" Benjamin Alira Sense
• "Great Darius deserves more" Adib Horrama
• "Svita King" Nora Sakavich
• “Lia: Life is not by notes” and “With love, crying” Bekki Albertali

In a conversation with Medusa, lawyer Max Olenichev suggested that the book “Summer in the Pioneer Tip” was a formal reason for searches and detention. “She was searched everywhere, since law enforcement agencies have an expert opinion (the publishing house was not familiar with its maintenance of the detained employees),” the lawyer said. “The rest of the books did not have such significance, but if they reflected Quir Tematics, then they were seized too.”

“Yesterday, during searches, they paid attention to the presence of“ summer in a pioneering tie ”, but later it became known that investigators were also interested in other nine books,” says Medusa, a source close to Popcorn Books. The fact that the criminal case is associated with the spread of the novel was also reported by two interlocutors of the Russian BBC service in the book market.

The book “Summer in the Pioneer Tie” about the romantic relationship of the pioneer and the counselor in early 2021 was published by the PopCorn Books publishing house, at that moment - the subdivision of the publishing house Individuum; The weekend of the book indicates the general legal entity "Individual Print".

By the fall, the novel became a bestseller, this provoked criticism of Russian propagandists and officials, including deputy Alexander Khinshtein (now acts as the governor of the Kursk region) and the head of the safe Internet League Ekaterina Mizulina. After the Law on the complete “prohibition of propaganda” by LGBTK+was adopted in November 2022, the novel and its continuation “What the Swallow” was removed from the sale. And in January 2023, Popcorn Books launched the first administrative case of LGBT promotion. The writers of Silvanov and Malisov by that time had already left the Russian Federation. In the summer of the same year, “Eksmo” bought 51% of the individual Print LLC, which includes imprints Individuum and Popcorn Books; The legal entity itself was liquidated in December 2024.

The Case of Book Players will be considered by the Zamoskvoretsky court of Moscow. On May 15, the court will choose a measure of restriction to the head of the editorial staff to Dmitry Protopopov, the head of the sales department Artem Vakhlyaev and the former Sales Director Pavel Ivanov (he left this post in the fall of 2024). The lawyer of the “First Department” Max Olenichev confirmed “Medusa” that the previously detained director of the Exmo distribution department Anatoly Novyytkin and the deputy head of the copyright department of Inessa Nurtdin's prosecution were not charged. The fact that Norovyatkin was released after interrogation also reported Interfax.

According to the UK, from November 2023 to September 2024, the accused "sold an unlimited circle of people, including minors, more than a thousand copies of books." Investigators will petition in court about the capture of the defendants in custody. They face up to 12 years in prison.

“So far we cannot give a detailed comment, since we do not have complete information and do not know all the details. We are scared and anxious, ” said representatives of Popcorn Books.

“We always worked within the framework of the law - whatever it may be at one time or another. We hope that our colleagues will be released as soon as possible. We hope for justice. We will not be surprised at any outcome, ” says Individuum telegram channel.

“These are my friends and colleagues. I am paralyzed by the idea that they can be sent to prison on these accusations, this is some kind of nonsense. They are absolutely not activists, let's say, ”says a participant in the book market, who spoke with a“ jellyfish ”on anonymity. The interlocutor of the publication notes that he does not consider what is happening “the local problem of the PopCorn Books publishing house”: “LGBT propaganda [if desired] can be seen in about every second translated book since the 1960s.” The source close to Popcorn Books is also agreed with this: "This is a demonstrative flogging and, possibly, an isolated case to intimidate everyone."

The searches affected not only the Eksmo publishers and its employees. On May 14, law enforcement agencies came to an independent book “World Map” in Novosibirsk. According to the source of the 7 × 7 publication, the security forces "searched for LGBT-fiction books." A post with a request for financial assistance appeared in the telegram channel of the “world maps”: “Today and for an unknown time we were left without the necessary working equipment, which we will not be able to quickly restore.” In the book, they added that they could not comment on what happened yet.

In the spring of 2025, the security forces came to other independent books. In March, the prosecutor’s office checked the Falanster bookstore in Moscow. What turned out to be the reason for their visit is unknown, but soon the protocols on the participation in the activities of an “unwanted organization” (which exactly are unknown) at the store and its co -founder Boris Kupriyanov. In April, the security forces conducted an audit in the book “Signature Publications” in St. Petersburg. According to employees, they were given a list of 48 books that need to be removed from the shelves. Later it became known that the “signature publications” drew up a protocol under the article on “propaganda of non -traditional sexual relations and sex change ” (part 1 of Article 6.21 of the Code of Administrative Offenses). Three books were the reason for this: “The body of each” Olivia Lang, “About Women” and “Against Interpretation and Other Essays” Susan Umbable.

“Yesterday was, of course, a rainy day for the entire industry,” comments on searches from colleagues in Novosibirsk and Moscow the owner of an independent book in one of the regions of Russia, who spoke with Medusa on anonymity. To the question of how a criminal case will affect the work of independent books, he adds dryly: “We will rely on the position of publishers, in this case they are the very institutions that will be responsible for all options for problems with books.”

On May 15, the Eksmo Publishing House sent its partners a list of books that it “convincingly asks” to remove from sale. The list , which soon appeared on the Internet, indicates 50 books, including "Summer in the Pioneer Tip" and the continuation of the novel "What Swallow is silent." The authenticity of the Medusa list was confirmed by the owner of an independent book in one of the regions. The fact that the list is very similar to the publication also said a source in Eksmo.

The press service of the publishing house reported that “Eksmo” “provides full assistance to the investigation”: “Publisher’s lawyers immediately connected to the proceedings, provide the necessary support for the speedy resolution of the situation”.

According to the source of "Medusa", now in the publishing house "Street atmosphere". “So they can come to anyone,” he says. - I can say that we plan to self -dedicate even more. From prison, you cannot change the world. ”

Kristina Safonova