The owner of a popular gay bar was arrested and will face trial with two of his employees in the latest crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights in Russia.The owner of an LGBTQ+ club in the Russian city of Orenburg was arrested for "extremism," the OVD-Info rights group said Sunday.

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He was detained three days ago at a Moscow airport and has been remanded in custody with two of his employees.

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Prosecutors accuse him of conspiring with supporters of the "international LGBT movement."

Police arrested the art director and administrator of the Pose club earlier this month in a raid on the club during a drag show.

If found guilty, they face up to ten years in jail.

Crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights in Russia

It is the first criminal case of its kind since Russia added the "international LGBT movement" to a list of extremist and terrorist organizations.

The move was in line with a ruling by Russia's Supreme Court last November that LGBTQ+ activists should be designated as extremists.

There has been a growing crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights in Russia.

President Vladimir Putin has long promoted family and "traditional values," asserting that LGBTQ+ activism represents a Western assault on "traditional Russian values."

In 2013, Russia passed a law banning the "propaganda" of "non-traditional sexual relations" aimed at minors.

The legislation was considerably extended at the end of 2022 and now bans all forms of LGBTQ+ content in the media, on the internet, in books, and films.

lo/rc (dpa, LUSA)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 31, 2024 09:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).