Russian Gay Activists Arrested For Spreading ‘Homosexual Propaganda’ To Minors

Russian LGBT equality activists Nikolay Alekseev, Alexey Kiselev, and Kirill Nepomnyaschiy have been “arrested at solitary pickets next to children regional library in Arkhangelsk,” the group reports through Twitter. In 2006, the Russian regions of Ryazan and Arkhangelsk adopted legislation criminalizing the distribution of so-called “homosexual propaganda” to minors and this group is the first to be charged for violating the statute. Russian authorities are considering similar legislation in St. Petersburg and other regions.

A picture of their sign is below, which says, “Children have the right to know. Great people have also been gay and gay people can also become great” and lists prominent Russian gay people. It concludes: “Homosexual, it’s natural and normal”