The Russian LGBT Network, one of the leading LGBTQ+ rights groups in the country, has announced that it is shutting down after being designated as an “extremist” organisation by a court earlier in April.

The Network was founded in 2006 to provide legal, psychological and emergency assistance to LGBTQ+ people in Russia. One of the group’s main priorities was evacuating people from Chechnya after the community was targeted by authorities in what came to be known as an “anti-gay purge”.

On April 27 this year, a court in Saint Petersburg labelled the Russian LGBT Network as an “extremist” organisation, effectively banning its activities and exposing anyone linked to it to potential prosecution. The ruling was issued by the St Petersburg City Court following closed hearings requested by the Justice Ministry.

The closed nature of the proceedings raised concerns about transparency and due process, with critics arguing that such rulings further erode civil liberties in Russia, deepening an already hostile environment for LGBTQ+ individuals and organisations.

The Russian LGBT Network said that the “extremist” designation had made it impossible to continue its operations publicly. In a statement shared on Telegram, the group said: “We made this decision after a serious risk assessment.”

“Continuing our public work could endanger those who took part in the organization’s activities, supported it, or received help from it. We can’t control the repressive environment, but we can do everything possible to avoid creating additional risks for people. People’s safety comes first,” the statement continued.

Under Russian policies, any individual associated with organisations that have been labelled as “extremist” could face severe consequences, including lengthy prison sentences. The designation criminalises not only participation in the organisations’ activities but also expressing support for their cause.

Such policies came into effect in November 2023, after the Russian Supreme Court banned the so-called ‘LGBT movement’. Since March 2026, Russian courts have labelled at least 11 LGBTQ+ organisations as “extremists”, including Vykhod, Irida, Parni+, Center T, T9 NSK, Kallisto, Resource Center for LGBT, Moscow Community Center, the Alliance of Heterosexuals and LGBT for Equality, and SK SOS.