Statement by the Equal Rights Coalition on the Russian Supreme Court judgment infringing LGBTIQ+ people’s basic human rights

December 18, 2023 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

The Equal Rights Coalition strongly condemns the Russian Supreme Court designating the so-called ‘international public LGBT movement’ as extremist on 30 November, 2023. The coalition also recalls its previous statements on the legal situation of LGBTIQ+ people in the Russian Federation.

This Supreme Court ruling, issued behind closed doors, contributes to the further infringement of the constitutional rights of the already stigmatized lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons. It effectively criminalizes any activity perceived as supporting LGBTIQ+ persons. Anyone living as part of this group is acutely vulnerable to persecution. It is a further attempt by the Russian authorities to marginalise LGBTIQ+ citizens. The Russian authorities have already banned any discussion and sharing of information about LGBTIQ+ persons, and outlawed gender confirming procedures. Classifying potentially all organizations and persons involved in exercising the human rights of LGBTIQ+ persons as ‘extremist’ serves to further erode their ability to live with dignity in Russia. This decision became yet another example of systemic human rights violations and promotion of hate speech, cultivated in the Russian state.

The legal uncertainty created by labelling a group as ‘extremist’ without proof of criminal activity or proof of an organizational structure, as required by Russian law, contributes to a climate of fear and intimidation and paves way for further political persecutions. This Supreme Court decision impacts the human rights of all individuals living in Russia. It has a corrosive effect on society as a whole and infringes on the freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom of expression and the right to a fair trial.

The Equal Rights Coalition aligns itself with the statement by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Equal Rights Coalition stands shoulder to shoulder with civil society, activists and local communities in the Russian Federation and the wider region and urges the Russian Supreme Court to reconsider the decision.

Co-signatories:

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chili, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uruguay