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Russia Supreme Court bans LGBTQ movement as 'extremist'

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Reuters

Russia&#x27;s Supreme Court ruled on Thursday (November 30) that LGBT activists should be designated as extremists, in a move that representatives of gay and transgender people fear will lead to arrests and prosecutions.A Reuters reporter in court heard it announce that it had approved a request from the justice ministry to recognize what it called &quot;the international LGBT social movement&quot; as extremist and to ban its activities.The move is part of a pattern of increasing restrictions in Russia on expressions of sexual orientation and gender identity, including laws outlawing the promotion of &quot;non-traditional&quot; sexual relations and banning legal or medical changes of gender.The Supreme Court took around five hours to issue its ruling, after opening its session at 10 a.m. (0700 GMT). The proceedings were closed to media, but reporters were allowed in to hear the decision.President Vladimir Putin, expected shortly to announce that he will seek a new six-year term in March, has long sought to promote an image of Russia as a guardian of traditional moral values in contrast with a decadent West.In a speech last year, he said the West was welcome to adopt &quot;rather strange, in my view, new-fangled trends like dozens of genders, and gay parades&quot; but had no right to impose them on other countries.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/06/02/23/ph-more-accepting-of-lgbtq-what-study-vs-experience-say">PH more accepting of LGBTQ? What study vs experience say</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/08/30/23/canada-warns-lgbtq-community-about-travel-to-us">Canada warns LGBTQ community about travel to US</a></li></ul>Putin&#x27;s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters before the court decision was announced that the Kremlin was &quot;not following&quot; the case and had no comment on it.LGBT activists had seen the decision as inevitable after the Nov. 17 request by the justice ministry, which said - without giving examples - that &quot;various signs and manifestations of extremist orientation, including the incitement of social and religious discord&quot; had been identified in the activities of the LGBT movement in Russia.

Russia's Supreme Court ruled on Thursday (November 30) that LGBT activists should be designated as extremists.