Russia tightened its rigorous law on “LGBT propaganda” just last fall. Now a German has been deported for trying to meet a man online.
The Russian authorities have fined a German for alleged homosexual propaganda and started deporting him. The man was initially brought to Moscow from the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia’s Far East. This was reported by the Russian state news agency Ria Novosti.
From there he was supposed to fly to Germany via Turkey. In addition, the 40-year-old had to pay a fine of 150,000 rubles (almost 1,700 euros), it said.
The court judgment had already been issued in early April and has now been carried out. According to media reports, the man tried to get acquainted with a Russian over the Internet in order to establish a sexual relationship.
Law tightened in autumn
Russia only tightened its already rigorous law on “LGBT propaganda” last fall.
Until then, anyone who allegedly “advertised” homosexuality and transgenderedness to minors was liable to prosecution. That was already heavily criticized internationally. Since then, any positive presentation of these topics has been punishable by high fines.
The law targets media, literary and film content, advertising and personal contributions to social networks. However, the vague formulations allow for a wide range of interpretations for possible convictions, including in the private sphere. LGBT is the English abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.