Russian Medic Arrested for “Satanism” and LGBTQ+ Promotion

YOUR EX

October 9, 2024

Russian authorities have detained a medical professional on charges of “Satanism” and “promoting same-sex relationships” as Moscow intensifies its legal crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights under the banner of protecting “traditional family values.”

Moscow has long fostered a hostile environment for LGBTQ+ individuals, a situation that has escalated significantly since Russia’s military actions in Ukraine began in 2022.

The Federal Security Service (FSB) reported that the head of a medical facility in the central Ulyanovsk region was arrested and accused of “devil worshipping.” While such allegations from state bodies are uncommon, the growing influence of the Orthodox Church has coincided with Russia’s increasingly conservative social policies.

“In the course of operational searches, it was established that this person, being a supporter of Satanism, promoted the idea of same-sex relations among subordinate employees as a way of initiating them into devil worshipping,” the FSB stated.

The FSB claimed that the man had “misled citizens into believing that adopting the cult would lead to financial prosperity and career advancement.”

A criminal case has been initiated against him on charges of coercing others into sexual acts and participating in an extremist organisation. The FSB released a video showing the man being apprehended at his apartment by masked officers in camouflage.

In November last year, Russia outlawed what it termed the “international LGBT movement,” reflecting its increasingly harsh stance on the community.

According to a European ranking of legal frameworks and policies affecting LGBTQ+ individuals, Russia ranks last — 48th — among participating countries.