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Teenager becomes first minor prosecuted under Russia’s anti-gay 'propaganda' laws
Maxim Neverov was convicted after 'expert opinion' deemed images he posted on social media to be 'gay propaganda' ( Russian LGBT Network )
A schoolboy has become the first minor to be prosecuted under Russia’s strict “gay propaganda” laws.
Maxim Neverov, a 16-year-old from the city of Biysk, was reportedly fined £50,000 rubles (£580) by a court, according to campaign group the Russian LGBT Network.
The organisation said a police report filed in July claimed the teenager had posted several images of “partly nude” men on the social network VKontakte.
It added the images had been determined to have “the characteristics of propaganda of homosexual relations”, according to an “expert opinion”.
The Russian LGBT Network, which also provided a lawyer to represent Maxim, said authorities may have pursued charges following the teenager’s involvement in an event called “Gays or Putin”.
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Russia’s so-called “gay propaganda” rules were agreed by the State Duma in 2013 and later signed into law by president Vladimir Putin.
The stated aim of the laws is to “protect” minors from being exposed to content that presents homosexuality as being a norm in society.
