Three employees of a Russian gay bar — defendants in the first case under the ‘extremist LGBT movement’ ban — sentenced to up to seven years in prison

Three employees of the Pose bar in Orenburg have been sentenced to prison, marking the first known case under Russia’s ban on an ‘extremist LGBT movement’. Alexander Klimov received over two years, Diana Kamilyanova six years and three months, and owner Vyacheslav Khasanov seven years. All were charged with organizing and participating in extremist activities, with investigators citing drag performances, promotion of LGBT relationships on Telegram, and the bar’s operation as evidence.

• Three employees of the Pose bar in Orenburg were sentenced to prison in Russia’s first case related to the ban on an ‘extremist LGBT movement’.
• Art director Alexander Klimov received two years and three months, administrator Diana Kamilyanova received six years and three months, and owner Vyacheslav Khasanov received seven years.
• The employees were charged with organizing and participating in extremist activities.
• Investigators cited Kamilyanova filming drag performances and Klimov promoting LGBT relationships on Telegram.
• The bar was raided by riot police in March 2024, and its employees were subsequently arrested and added to Russia’s list of extremists and terrorists.