Quotes of the Week

Week-ending 1 May 2026

“When in November 2023 the Supreme Court banned the non-existent ‘international LGBT movement’ as ‘extremist,’ it was clear that the authorities would not stop there. The designation of the Russian LGBT Network and other organizations as ‘extremist’ are links in the same chain of persecution and injustice by the Russian authorities against LGBTI people. For nearly two decades, the Russian LGBT Network has united activists from across the country, provided emergency assistance and produced vital research on discrimination and violence against LGBTI people. Banning it is a major premeditated blow to LGBTI people and their allies. LGBTI human rights defenders, activists and volunteers play a vital role in providing legal, psychological and social support, documenting abuses and evacuating those at risk. Despite their legitimate human rights work, a growing number of organizations have been arbitrarily designated as “extremist”. The Russian authorities must immediately stop misusing anti-extremism legislation to repress the LBGTI community, reverse homophobic policies and guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, association and non-discrimination to LGBTI people in line with international human rights law. Discriminatory legislation targeting and criminalizing LGBTI people must be fully abolished, and court decisions designating the ‘international LGBT movement’ and individual organizations as ‘extremist’ overturned.”

– Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, commenting on a decision by a court in St. Petersburg to designate the Russian LGBT Network an “extremist organization” and impose a nationwide ban on its activities

Source: ‘Russia: Russian LGBT Network is labelled “extremist” in escalating crackdown on LGBTI rights,’ Amnesty International, 27 April 2026

Background from Amnesty International: Since the end of 2025, authorities have expanded their crackdown on LGBTI rights through criminal prosecutions, arrests and fines targeting individuals, private gatherings and media platforms. In 2026, on 2 February 2026, a Moscow court fined a senior manager of the streaming service Wink 200,000 rubles (US$2,600) for providing access to LGBTI-themed movies. On 11 February, major platforms – Kinopoisk, Ivi and Wink – were fined between 3 and 3.5 million rubles (US$38,700–45,250) for the same “offence.” On 20 April, a court similarly fined the gaming platform Roblox 8 million rubles (US$106,900). On 30 January 2026, the feminist publishing house No Kidding Press – which had ceased operations – was fined 800,000 rubles (US$10,300) for the publication and distribution of the graphic novel The Fruit of Knowledge by Swedish author Liv Strömquist. In the same month, cases were opened against the bookstore chain Chitai-gorod – Bukvoed for selling several titles, including Ursula Le Guin’s sci-fi novel The Left Hand of Darkness. Earlier, on 26 November 2025, Stephen King’s novel It was withdrawn from sale following complaints alleging “LGBT propaganda.” On 21 April 2026, law enforcement officers detained the head of the publishing house Eksmo, Yevgeny Kapyev, and several employees in connection with an “extremism” case against the Popcorn Books, a publisher associated with LGBTI-themed literature. They were subsequently released after questioning as witnesses in the criminal case. For more information, see Amnesty International’s website.

“This report highlights something fundamental: that the use of foreign fighters by Russia is neither a marginal nor a spontaneous phenomenon. Russia has built a global recruitment system that deliberately targets the most vulnerable populations —undocumented migrants, detainees, precarious workers, or even foreign students— across dozens of countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Many of these men knew in some capacity what they were signing up for. But some were also deceived or coerced. But in all cases, it is a State that has instrumentalised them as part of its war machine and sent them to the most dangerous positions on the frontline. In February of this year, I visited Truth Hounds in their offices in Kyiv, and I saw first-hand how they conducted their essential work on this issue, achieved in extremely difficult conditions” –

 Alexis Deswaef, President of FIDH

Source: ‘Russia’s war against Ukraine: Thousands of foreign nationals recruited by Russia in violation of international law,’ FIDH, 29 April 2026

“Despite the fact that many states are taking measures to curb recruitment, and although Russia claims it is no longer recruiting citizens from certain countries, the predatory recruitment continues. Ukrainian authorities predict that in 2026 Russia will engage more 18,500 foreign nationals, marking the highest annual figure since 2022. This underscores the continued relevance of our report. Our primary objective remains clear: to halt recruitment and to compel Russia to repatriate those already recruited. We are grateful to our partners at FIDH for their attention to this issue. We also extend our sincere appreciation to our local partners for their expert support in navigating specific regional contexts. This is a vital collective effort that must be further advanced to ensure that Russia can no longer cynically exploit citizens of other countries in its war of aggression against Ukraine.”

– Maria Tomak, associated researcher and advocacy expert of Truth Hounds

Source: ‘Russia’s war against Ukraine: Thousands of foreign nationals recruited by Russia in violation of international law,’ FIDH, 29 April 2026

Background from FIDH: Since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has recruited at least 27,000 foreign nationals from more than 130 countries to participate in its war of aggression against Ukraine — a fast-rising figure that reflects a deliberate and institutionalised strategy, far beyond the mere use of volunteers. The report, entitled “Combatants, Mercenaries or Victims of Human Trafficking? Russia’s Exploitation of Foreign Fighters in Its War Against Ukraine” (see executive summary here), is the result of a joint research conducted by FIDH, Truth Hounds, and the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law (KIBHR), with support from partners in South Korea and consultations with regional experts in Nepal, Cuba, and Kenya. It is based on interviews with sixteen prisoners of war (POWs) held in Ukraine, and former Russian military, as well as open-source research and consultations with Ukrainian authorities and human rights experts. For more information, see the FIDH website.

‘Among the countries closed off to the independent press, Vladimir Putin’s Russia (172nd) has become a specialist in using laws designed to combat terrorism, separatism and extremism to restrict press freedom. As of April 2026, the country held 48 journalists behind bars. News professionals who wish to continue their work have been forced into exile, where they are still unable to escape legal persecution as it extends well beyond the country’s borders.’ 

– RSF

Source: ‘2026 RSF Index: press freedom at a 25-year low,’ RSF, 30 April 2026

Background from RSF: For the first time in the history of the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index, over half of the world’s countries now fall into the “difficult” or “very serious” categories for press freedom. In 25 years, the average score of all 180 countries and territories surveyed in the Index has never been so low. Since 2001, the expansion of increasingly restrictive legal arsenals — particularly those linked to national security policies — has been steadily eroding the right to information, even in democratic countries. The Index’s legal indicator has declined the most over the past year, a clear sign that journalism is increasingly criminalised worldwide. In the Americas, the situation has evolved significantly, with the United States dropping seven places and several Latin American countries sliding deeper into a spiral of violence and repression.