The Central District Court of Orenburg has sentenced three employees of the Pose bar in what is described as the first known criminal case over the “LGBT extremist movement.” The court’s press service reported the ruling.
The bar’s art director, 23-year-old Alexander Klimov, was sentenced to two years and three months in a penal colony. Administrator 30-year-old Diana Kamilyanova received six years and three months. The venue’s owner, 37-year-old Vyacheslav Khasanov, was given seven years in a penal colony.
In addition, the court ordered Khasanov to pay more than one million rubles, which it classified as “income from criminal activity.” All three were charged with organizing and participating in the activities of an extremist organization under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Russian Criminal Code. None of them admitted guilt.
According to Ostorozhno, Novosti, investigators alleged that Kamilyanova filmed drag performers’ shows, while Klimov held meetings with performers and “promoted LGBT relations” on Telegram.
When ordering the pretrial detention of Klimov and Kamilyanova, the court said they, as people of “non-traditional sexual orientation,” together with others who “support the views and activities of the banned international LGBT public association,” ensured the club’s operation.
In March 2024, the Pose bar in Orenburg was raided with the participation of OMON riot police. Afterward, the Interior Ministry said police had “stopped the activities of a nightclub where representatives of a movement banned in the Russian Federation had gathered.” Soon afterward, the three employees were arrested, placed in pretrial detention, and later added to the list of extremists and terrorists.