A woman in Russia has been sentenced to 18 months of forced labour after admitting she wrote gay fan-fiction about K-Pop group Stray Kids.
Alexandra Kuzyk, a 36-year-old photographer and stylist, was found guilty of the “illegal production and distribution of pornographic materials” after publishing fan-fiction depicting same-sex romance.
According to KP-Yekaterinburg, the case began after a mother reportedly found the fan-fiction on her daughter’s device.
The case was launched in 2025, with prosecutors initially seeking a four-year prison sentence.
Kuzyk says writing fan-fiction was a longtime hobby
Kuzyk admitted in court that she had written the fan-fiction, telling the judge it was a longtime hobby.
She was sentenced to 18 months of forced labour, with 10% of her earnings to be withheld by the state.
According to LGBT health site Parni+, the fan-fiction was identified as being about South Korean boy group Stray Kids, known for songs including “God’s Menu”, “Maniac”, and “Case 143”.
Kuzyk told the website there was no printed version of her fan-fiction, and that she was not publishing or selling anything at the time of the investigation.
She said the fan-fiction was found on the young girl’s Telegram channel.
Russia’s anti-LGBTQ+ crackdown continues
The sentence is the latest in a growing number of cases linked to Russia’s harsh anti-LGBTQ+ laws and restrictions on so-called “propaganda”.
In another recent case, a man was reportedly ordered to be deported after posting a positive online review of a miniskirt.
The prosecution of Kuzyk has renewed concern about how Russian authorities are targeting queer expression, online fandom, and depictions of same-sex relationships under laws framed around obscenity and “traditional values”.
For LGBTQ+ people and allies in Russia, the case is another reminder of the serious risks attached to even private or creative expressions of queer identity and desire.
