Russia’s LGBTQ+ Database: Fear and Surveillance on the Rise

The Russian government is reportedly developing a large-scale electronic database to register LGBTQ+ individuals in the country, according to the independent Russian news outlet Meduza, based in Latvia.

Citing anonymous sources from Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, Meduza reports that the database has been in the works for some time. This system aims to track individuals identified as members of the “international LGBT movement,” which the Russian government classified as “extremist” in 2023.

In recent months, Russia has intensified its crackdown on LGBTQ+ people. Under the so-called “anti-propaganda” law, bar and club owners have been arrested, and more than 50 people detained during events. The language-learning app Duolingo was forced to remove inclusive content, while the children’s cartoon My Little Pony was restricted to audiences aged 18 and older. A gay student was expelled from university after posting makeup videos.

In January, a man was fined for joking about having “started” the LGBTQ+ rights movement. In December, another man accused of running an LGBTQ+ travel agency was found dead in his cell.

Dmitry Chukreev, a member of the United Russia party, confirmed that police have been recording LGBTQ+ individuals since the Supreme Court’s ruling. “Everyone is being registered and documented,” he stated.

Additionally, Russian authorities are reportedly considering a public registry for sex workers, allowing individuals to check whether someone is listed. This database would also display fines related to so-called “gay propaganda.”

At present, the development of the LGBTQ+ database faces financial and logistical challenges due to Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine. However, surveillance of queer spaces has already intensified. Law enforcement agents have allegedly copied reservation databases from queer venues, taken saliva and fingerprint samples, and required event attendees to state their home addresses on camera.

Amid these developments, many LGBTQ+ individuals in Russia now live in fear as their space to express their identities and advocate for their rights continues to shrink.