In Orenburg, the owner and employees of the Pose bar were sentenced to up to seven years in prison in the first known case of “LGBT extremism” in Russia.

Security forces, based on denunciations from pro-government activists, repeatedly came to raid the Pose club.

The Central District Court of Orenburg sentenced the owner, administrator and art director of the LGBT club Pose in the case of organizing and participating in the activities of an “extremist” organization. This was reported by the Telegram channel “Caution, News”. This is the first known criminal case in Russia for “LGBT extremism.”

The longest sentence - seven years in prison - was given to the 37-year-old owner of the establishment , Vyacheslav Khasanov ; six years and three months in prison were given to 30-year-old club administrator Diana Kamilyanova ; two years and three months - to 23-year-old art director Alexander Klimov .

The court also recovered one million rubles from Khasanov for “criminal proceeds from the activities of an extremist organization.” In addition, the convicts were banned from engaging in activities in the field of entertainment and public catering for up to three years, writes Mediazona.

According to investigators, the accused ensured the operation of the Pose bar, “being persons with non-traditional sexual orientation, acting as a group of persons by prior conspiracy.” Kamilyanova allegedly “organized photo and video recording of performances promoting non-traditional sexual relationships,” and Klimov “promoted non-traditional sexual relationships among visitors to the bar and in the Telegram mobile application.”

Security forces, following the denunciation of pro-government activists, repeatedly came with raids to the Pose club; the last raid before the initiation of the case took place on March 12, 2024, after which a video with guests of the establishment was published by Z-channels. On March 18, the head of the Safe Internet League, Ekaterina Mizulina , announced the initiation of a criminal case.

All three defendants in the case were sent into custody in March 2024; Rosfinmonitoring later added them to the list of “terrorists and extremists.” Later it became known that Klimov and Kamilyanova were released from the pre-trial detention center under house arrest, Mediazona clarifies.

Club Pose opened in 2021 and hosted themed parties. The club itself called itself “the first thematic establishment” in Orenburg, and after the adoption of the law on “LGBT propaganda” it began to present itself as a “bar-theater of parodies” and “a night bar with a show program.” As a precaution, employees did not indicate the club’s address on social networks, writes Mediazona.

• In November 2023, the Supreme Court of Russia recognized the LGBT International Social Movement as an “extremist organization” at the request of the Ministry of Justice; the court decision came into force on January 10, 2024. Including the non-existent “LGBT movement” on the list of extremists, human rights activists noted, “could lead to the criminalization of human rights and activist activities and the risk of persecution for human rights defenders, activists, journalists and LGBT people simply openly expressing their views.”

Subscribe to our channel on Telegram .