Russian Justice Ministry Labels Germany-Based Russian-Speaking LGBT Organization 'Undesirable'

On September 11, the Russian Ministry of Justice added Quarteera e.V. to the list of foreign and international non-governmental organizations whose activities are deemed “undesirable” in the country. According to the ministry’s website, six other NGOs from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany were also added to the registry alongside it.

Quarteera e.V. is a non-profit organization founded in Berlin in 2011 that brings together Russian-speaking LGBT people in Germany and their allies. It is actively involved in assisting queer refugees, as well as organizing cultural, educational, and human rights projects.

The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office, which makes the decisions on “undesirability,” did not issue a press release explaining the reasons for banning the group. As noted by the LGBT project Parni+, the specific motives behind why the main Russian-speaking queer organization in Germany attracted the attention of Russian authorities remain unknown. The “undesirable” status means a complete ban on the organization’s operations within Russia and criminal liability for anyone cooperating with it or financing its activities.