Russia labels LGBTI journalist an “extremist” as crackdown expands beyond organisations

Russian authorities continue escalating their crackdown on LGBTI organisations and activists under the “extremist” designation.

As of May 2026, nine organisations have been officially designated, targeting groups working on community support, advocacy, health, media, and legal assistance.

The organisations designated so far include Coming Out, LGBT Resource Centre in Yekaterinburg, Parni+, Moscow Community Centre, Irida, Russian LGBT Network, Kallisto, T9 NSK and Centre-T. Several others are expecting court hearings in the coming months.

The crackdown is also expanding beyond organisations to individuals. In late April, queer journalist Vadim Vaganov was labelled an “extremist” by the Russian authorities, reportedly the first publicly identified individual linked to the so-called “International LGBT Movement” under Russia’s extremist designation framework.

The growing wave of designations shows how the “extremist” label is being used not only to silence public advocacy, but also to dismantle essential community infrastructure and isolate LGBTI people and organisations from wider society and each other.

As Evgeny Pisemskiy, founder and editor of Parni+, an online LGBTQ media, wrote following the court decision against the organisation:

The status of an “extremist organization” is not simply a label. It is a tool of isolation. It is meant to frighten readers, cut off the authors, intimidate donors, complicate the team’s work, deepen our fears for our relatives, and create a void around us.

Russian LGBTI activists, organisations, journalists, and communities continue to organise, resist isolation, sustain spaces for solidarity and critical thought and action, and balance visibility under increasingly difficult conditions.

We express our solidarity with all those affected and recognise the courage of those continuing this work despite growing repression.