Recent reports indicate that Russia’s Interior Ministry is developing an extensive electronic database to monitor and track LGBTQ+ individuals across the country. According to Meduza, an independent Russian-language news outlet based in Latvia, this initiative has been under discussion since last year, following the Russian Supreme Court’s decision to designate the so-called “international LGBT movement” as an extremist organization. The ruling, strongly supported by President Vladimir Putin, has led to an intensification of government actions against LGBTQ+ communities.
Systematic Tracking and Surveillance
Anonymous sources within the Interior Ministry revealed that the database aims to be a large-scale system for tracking LGBTQ+ individuals nationwide. Dmitry Chukreyev, an official from Yekaterinburg’s Civic Chamber, corroborated this information, stating that police forces have been informally maintaining lists of LGBTQ+ people since the Supreme Court ruling.
A report by independent news outlet Current Time and human rights organization Sphere documented at least 42 police raids on LGBTQ+-friendly establishments across Russia in 2024. These raids have been marked by brutality, including beatings, forced confinement, and psychological humiliation of individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity.
Police Raids and Data Collection
LGBTQ+ establishments and social spaces have been primary targets of these sweeping raids. Security forces have seized electronic data from venues, copying databases containing customer reservations, personal details, and surveillance footage. One queer club employee in Siberia reported that authorities extracted an entire reservation log, exposing the identities of hundreds of clients.
Other documented cases of data collection include:
– In Chelyabinsk’s Eden club, police gathered fingerprints and mouth swabs from visitors.
– In the Orenburg club Pose, patrons and employees were forced to disclose their residential addresses on camera.
– At a house party in Leningrad Oblast, guests were ordered to surrender their passports and unlock their phones. Those who refused faced collective punishment, including being forced into stress positions.
– In Gorno-Altaysk, security forces raided a restaurant and LGBTQ+ venue, collecting data on 80 patrons and staff members.
– In Krasnoyarsk’s Elton bar, authorities seized surveillance footage capturing same-sex couples hugging and kissing.
– The iconic St. Petersburg club Central Station, which operated from 2005 to 2023, endured more than ten police searches before ultimately shutting down.
Government Propaganda and Justification
Russian officials and state-controlled media have intensified their rhetoric against the LGBTQ+ community, portraying them as a network of “paramilitary groups” engaged in “dehumanization” and “devil worship.” Authorities claim that police actions are necessary to suppress anti-state activities, further fueling discrimination and persecution.
The raids have had a chilling effect on Russia’s LGBTQ+ community, forcing many venues to shut down and pushing queer individuals further into hiding. The ongoing persecution has made it increasingly difficult for LGBTQ+ Russians to find safe spaces where they can express their identities freely.
Future of the LGBTQ+ Registry
Despite the aggressive efforts to compile this database, the implementation of a full-scale LGBTQ+ registry has been delayed due to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. The conflict has diverted law enforcement personnel who would otherwise be engaged in suppressing LGBTQ+ activities. However, the raids continue, and with each operation, authorities gather more data to feed into the growing database.
The LGBTQ+ community in Russia faces escalating dangers as the government tightens its grip through digital surveillance and systematic targeting. As the international community watches with concern, human rights advocates continue to call for urgent intervention and support for Russia’s LGBTQ+ individuals, who remain at risk of state-sanctioned oppression and violence.
Global Response and Call for Action
The Russian government’s crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights has drawn international condemnation. Human rights organizations are urging global leaders to impose diplomatic and economic pressure on Russia to cease its persecution of sexual and gender minorities. LGBTQ+ activists and advocates emphasize the importance of providing asylum opportunities for those fleeing the country due to discrimination and violence.
As the situation in Russia worsens, the global LGBTQ+ community and human rights organizations remain committed to standing in solidarity with Russian LGBTQ+ individuals, advocating for their rights, and pushing back against state-sponsored oppression.
Date: 21 February, 2025
