After the Supreme Court of Russia declared the non-existent «international LGBT social movement» an «extremist organization» in November 2023, raids were conducted in many cities across Russia targeting people falling under this definition. In addition to registration, administrative, and criminal prosecution, authorities are discussing the possibility of launching a unified electronic registry to control the LGBT community. The only thing currently hindering the project is the lack of sufficient funding. «There is no money or people to create and maintain the database», explained a source from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to «Meduza».
He also mentioned that the task of «monitoring the new «criminal element» has been assigned to Center «E». Law enforcement officers visit potential «participants» of the «movement» and the doctors assisting them, conducting raids in clubs. This information was confirmed to the publication by United Russia member Dmitry Chukreev. «[Police] registration has been conducted since the Supreme Court ruling came into effect. Everyone is being listed and noted», he told «Meduza».
In the Krasnoyarsk bar Elton, operatives seized recordings from surveillance cameras, while the St. Petersburg gay club «Central Station» experienced more than ten searches with video recording before its closure. In a Siberian queer establishment, law enforcement copied the database from a computer, obtaining information on a hundred clients.
Visitors of the Chelyabinsk club «Eden» had their fingerprints and oral swabs collected. Artists of the Orenburg club Pose were forced to state their residential registration address on camera during a raid.
Meanwhile, some party organizers themselves share guest contacts with law enforcement: either under pressure or in the hope that they will be allowed to work peacefully.
Lawyer Maxim Olenichev, collaborating with «First Department»***, believes that potential «LGBT community members» who have attracted the attention of Center «E» may be questioned when crossing the Russian border. He is aware of three such cases. «The FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs have established cooperation. And if a «red flag» placed by the police lights up next to someone's name when crossing the border, it signals the border guard to question the person according to a list of questions sent by colleagues — to gather operational information», the lawyer explained.
* Recognized in Russia as a «foreign agent» and «undesirable» organization.
** «International LGBT movement» recognized as an «extremist organization».
*** Recognized in Russia as a «foreign agent».