1st Person in Russia Charged with Extremist Law by Showing Rainbow on Home Page

 

A Russian court has fined photographer Inna Mosina for posting a rainbow flag on social media, the independent news website Mediazona reported Monday.

Mosina was the first person charged with displaying “extremist” symbols after Russia banned the so-called “international LGBT public movement” in November.

Mosina faced up to 15 days in prison and a fine of up to 2,000 rubles ($22) for sharing an image of a rainbow flag on her personal Instagram account.

Mosina denied any association with the LGBTQ+ movement and said she had deleted the rainbow flag post soon after learning about the charges against her. 

The Leninsky District Court in the southern city of Saratov found Mosina guilty of “displaying symbols of an extremist organization” and ordered her to pay a fine of 1,500 rubles ($16.50), according to Mediazona.

Since the Supreme Court’s ban on the LGBTQ+ movement in November, several Russians have been charged with displaying or wearing “extremist symbols.”

 

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.