The owner of an LGBTQ+-inclusive nightclub in Russia has been sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of organising the so-called “extremist activity” of the “international LGBT movement”.
According to Amnesty International, on 23 March the Ingodinsky District Court of Chita, in Eastern Siberia, sentenced 23-year-old entrepreneur Tatiana Zorina to four years in a penal colony.
Her conviction stems from a 2023 ruling by the Russian Supreme Court, which designated the “International LGBT Movement” as an “extremist organisation”, adding it to a list of more than 100 banned groups accused of allegedly “inciting social and religious discord”.
Under this designation, anyone deemed to be participating in such an organisation can face up to 12 years in prison. Displaying related symbols carries penalties ranging from up to 15 days in detention for a first offence to as many as four years in prison for a repeat offence.
Amnesty condemns “persecution” of LGBTQ+ people
“Tatiana Zorina’s sentencing is a stark illustration of how Russia’s abuse of ‘extremism’ legislation has spiralled into outright persecution targeting LGBTI people and their allies,” said Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director.
She asserted that, “Running a private venue intended as a space where LGBTI people can safely be themselves is not a crime. Denying this right is deplorable.”
Nightclub raid led to arrest
According to the organisation, authorities arrested Zorina in October 2024 following a police raid on her nightclub, “Tochka”, formerly known as “Jackson”. Authorities claimed that the venue was used to “promote the ideology” of the so-called “international LGBT movement”.
Struthers called on the Russian authorities to immediately overturn the conviction and release Zorina.
“They must also repeal laws that arbitrarily label peaceful expression and association as ‘extremism’ simply because they relate to sexual orientation or gender identity that do not align with so-called ‘traditional values.’” She added that, “This homophobic witch-hunt must end now.”
Growing number of “extremism” cases
Amnesty International has documented 23 criminal cases opened on “extremism” charges linked to LGBTI-related activities up to the end of 2025.
In November 2025, businessman Andrei Kotov was posthumously convicted of “organising an extremist organisation” over allegations that he ran a travel agency offering LGBTQ+ tours. Authorities arrested him at his Moscow flat in November 2024, allegedly tortured him, and found him dead in his cell a month later, reportedly by suicide. His death did not prevent the court from convicting him.
Russia’s repression of the LGBTQ+ community extends to laws criminalising the “promotion” of so-called “non-traditional” sexual relationships, while also banning gender-affirming healthcare and legal changes to gender markers on official documents.
One Response
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