In first, Russian woman charged with displaying ‘extremist symbols’ for rainbow flag picture

Police in Russia’s Saratov region have drawn up a misdemeanor charge against a local woman who posted pictures with rainbow flags on Instagram for “public display of an extremist organization’s symbols,” reports the human rights group Department One.

This is the first known case in Russia of someone being prosecuted for “extremist symbols” for displaying a rainbow pride flag.

Maxim Olenichev, a lawyer from Department One, was able to get a copy of the Russian Supreme Court’s ruling recognizing the “LGBT Movement” as an “extremist organization.”

According to the Supreme Court’s decision, the “International LGBT movement” emerged in the U.S. in the 1960s “as part of a birth control policy” and has been active in Russia since 1984. The document also says that the so-called movement “destroys family values,” “violates the rights of religious people,” and uses “specific language.”

On November 30, the Russian Supreme Court banned the “international LGBT movement” as an “extremist organization.” The court session was held behind closed doors; therefore, the ruling was never published.