Russian court sentences three LGBT club staff to seven years

A Russian court has sentenced three staff members of an LGBT-friendly nightclub in Orenburg to prison terms of up to seven years, marking the first criminal convictions under the country's designation of the "LGBT movement" as an extremist organization. The sentences were handed down on Monday, June 29, 2026.

The Central District Court of Orenburg found art director Aleksandr Klimov, administrator Diana Kamilyanova, and bar owner Vyacheslav Khasanov guilty of organizing and participating in the activities of an extremist organization. Khasanov, 37, received a seven-year sentence and was ordered to pay a fine of 1 million rubles. Kamilyanova, 30, was sentenced to six years and three months, while Klimov, 23, received two years and three months. All three defendants denied the charges.

The court stated the three had, under the guise of operating a nightclub, organized events centered on demonstrating affiliation with people of "nontraditional sexual orientation." The convictions stem from a police raid on the "Pose" club in March 2024, which was initiated after a complaint from a local nationalist group. Security forces seized equipment during the raid, and footage later...