A court in Russia’s Orenburg region has sentenced a bar owner and two employees in the country’s first criminal case targeting people accused of belonging to what authorities call the “international LGBT movement.” Bar owner Vyacheslav Khasanov received seven years in prison, while manager Diana Kamilyanova was sentenced to six years and three months. Art director Alexander Klimov received two years and three months.
Prosecutors accused the trio of organizing events that demonstrated “affiliation with individuals of unconventional sexual orientation under the guise of running a nightlife venue.”
The bar reportedly hosted drag shows. All three denied the charges during closed-door proceedings. The verdict has not yet taken effect and can still be appealed. The court also seized 1 million rubles in revenue from Khasanov and barred all three from working in the entertainment and hospitality industries for up to three years after their release.
