Russian LGBT Network Closes After Extremist Designation

«Russian LGBT Network» closed after being declared an extremist organization. This was announced by the organization's Telegram channel on August 17.

Consensus

• The Russian LGBT Network announced its closure.
• The closure was due to the organization being labeled extremist.
• The decision was made after a serious risk assessment.
• The organization was established in 2006.
• The Russian LGBT Network was recognized as extremist by a court in Saint Petersburg in April 2026.
• The group's social media accounts will be deleted.
• The organization's activities and representation have ceased.
• The group had previously been designated a foreign agent in November 2021.
• The organization focused on protecting the rights of queer people, monitoring human rights violations, and reporting to the UN.

Points of divergence

• The Russian LGBT Network was recognized as an extremist organization in April 2026 by a city court in Saint Petersburg, which deemed the protection of LGBT rights, monitoring violations, and reporting to UN special rapporteur Mariya Katsarova as extremist activity. — mediazona
• The Russian LGBT Network was declared extremist by a court in Saint Petersburg in April 1926, and its leader Igor Kochetkov was placed on a wanted list by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in March 2026. — tg_horizontal_russia

Coverage (2 sources)

• In 'Russian LGBT-network' announced closure due to 'extremist' status — Медиазона
• «Russian LGBT Network» closed after being declared an extremist organization — 7х7 — Горизонтальная Россия

Key entities

• Russian LGBT Network
• Saint Petersburg
• Russian LGBT Networks