Russia's Supreme Court rules against 'global LGBTQ+ movement' and police raid clubs

Russia's Supreme Court has come under fire once again for ruling against an LGBTQIA+ organization — because the organization doesn't even exist.

In its ruling, the highest court in the land banned “the international civic LGBT movement,” which is not a real organization.

Experts say that this "ban" isn't so much of a formal ban of an organization — but as a way to send a larger message to quash dissent against the government's stance on queer people, and to enforce a larger ban on activism.

“Despite the fact that the Justice Ministry demands to label a nonexistent organization – ‘the international civic LGBT movement’ – extremist, in practice it could happen that the Russian authorities, with this court ruling at hand, will enforce it against LGBTQ+ initiatives that work in Russia, considering them a part of this civic movement,” Max Olenichev, a human rights lawyer who works with the Russian LGBTQ+ community, said to The Associated Press.

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Russian security forces have raided gay clubs and bars across Moscow less than 48 hours after the country’s top court banned what it called the “global LGBTQ+ movement” as an extremist organization.

Police searched venues across the Russian capital on Friday night, including a nightclub, a male sauna, and a bar that hosted LGBTQ+ parties, under the pretext of a drug raid, local media reported.

Eyewitnesses said that clubgoers’ documents were checked and photographed by the security services. They also said that some managers had been able to warn patrons before police arrived.

The raids follow a decision by Russia’s Supreme Court to label the country’s LGBTQ+ “movement” as an extremist organization.

The ruling, which was made in response to a lawsuit filed by the Justice Ministry, is the latest step in a decades long crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights under President Vladimir Putin, who has emphasized “traditional family values” during his 24 years in power.

Activists have noted the lawsuit was lodged against a movement that is not an official entity, and that under its broad and vague definition authorities could crack down on any individuals or groups deemed to be part of it.

Several LGBTQ+ venues have already closed following the decision, including St Petersburg’s gay club Central Station. It wrote on social media Friday that the owner would no longer allow the bar to operate with the law in effect.