In Russia, world bestsellers are removed from bookstores because of alleged LGBT propaganda – News

American books about equality and rights of the LGBTQI+ community.

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The Russian online store “Megamarket” has withdrawn from sale more than 250 titles of books subject to the law on the prohibition of “LGBT propaganda”, the Russian service reports BBC News, referring to the publication “Kommersant”.

The list includes the works of world bestsellers Stephen King, Haruki Murakami, Marcel Proust, Oscar Wilde, Stefan Zweig and other writers. In addition, the novel “Netochka Nezvanova” Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky.

It was not possible to find a complete list in free sources.

In comments to the Russian publication, the press service of “Megamarket” explained that the list of books was formed back in December 2022 at the initiative of the Association of Internet Trade Companies (AKIT). Representatives of the marketplace also participated in the selection of “forbidden literature” in Russian bookstores and stores.

However, immediately after the removal of the works from the online store, the president of the association Artem Sokolov called the list “irrelevant”. According to him, the list was compiled even before the implementation of the ban on “LGBT propaganda”, at the stage of discussion of the draft law in the State Duma.

“The industry wanted to clearly demonstrate what could be covered by the law if clear criteria were not developed. Now this list is irrelevant – it has nothing to do with reality.”Sokolov told the propagandist “RIA Novosti”.

Subsequently, in a comment to the Russian news agency RBC, the head of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy Oleksandr Khinstein assured that “nothing threatens classical literature”. According to him, the list is only a working document, representing “a set of some fears of the industry that have not been confirmed.”

About discriminatory laws in Russia

Back in 2013, Russia passed a law prohibiting the promotion of “non-traditional sexual relations” among minors.

At the end of 2022, the head of the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, signed a draft law banning “LGBT propaganda, pedophilia and gender reassignment” and introducing heavy fines for those who violate it.

Initially, the law provided for fines for the distribution of any information related to the LGBTQI+ community to minors. For example, this includes messages that “demonstrate non-traditional sexual relations” or “are capable of causing a desire to change gender.”

Later, it was added to the law that these “types of propaganda” cannot be distributed on the Internet, media, books, movies and advertising.

In November 2023, the so-called Supreme Court of Russia banned the activities of the non-existent “international LGBT public movement” in the country and recognized it as extremist. According to the Russian Ministry of Justice, during the investigation, they discovered “various signs and manifestations of extremist activity, in particular the creation of social and religious enmity.”