In St. Petersburg, the “Deystvie” center, declared a “foreign agent”, has stopped working

The “Deystvie” community center, which was involved in the support of LGBTQ+ people and the prevention of HIV infection, announced the termination of its work due to the inclusion of the organization in the register of “foreign agents”. This is stated in the social networks of the center.

“Whatever the laws and times, people like us remain. Continue to love, create, rejoice and find each other. And also – do not give up and do not lose contact. We have always carried the ideas of solidarity, unity and mutual support. And we hope , that the community center will live in your memory, thanks to every minute spent in its walls and every person you met there,” the center’s statement says.

“Deitsvie” was entered into the register of “foreign agents” on June 23, 2023. According to the department, the center “distributed materials of foreign agents, promoted LGBT relations, which contradict the state policy of preserving and strengthening traditional Russian spiritual and moral values.”

“Deitsvie” has been working in St. Petersburg since 2015. It was a space for supporting trans people and queer people.

• Legislation on “foreign agents” in Russia appeared in 2012. The law allowed the Ministry of Justice to recognize non-profit organizations as “foreign agents” if they receive funding from abroad and engage in political activity. The criteria by which such activity is determined are not clearly defined in the law, which allows the authorities to pursue organizations working in the fields of education, culture, health care, ecology, and protection of human rights.
• Since December 2022, the dissemination of positive information about homosexuality, bisexuality and transgenderism has been prohibited in Russia. According to the law signed by President Vladimir Putin, fines of up to 400,000 rubles for citizens and up to four million rubles for organizations are provided for this.
• The law was sharply criticized by human rights and LGBT+ organizations, which noted that it increases stigmatization and discriminates against the LGBT+ community.