A barman evaded a fine by claiming that his “turquoise hair,” eyebrow piercings and “black T-shirt rolled up to his chest” were all part of his gothic aesthetic.
Verstka said that not all of the court’s rulings had been made public and that two inmates had been fined 50,000 roubles (£350).
The party attendees were subject to punishment under what is known as Russia’s “anti-gay law,” which has been in effect since 2013.
Although a 2022 amendment forbade the promotion of “non-traditional lifestyles” among all age groups, it originally only outlawed the dissemination of “LGBT propaganda” among children.
According to Verstka, at least 71 persons were fined between 50,000 (£350) and 200,000 (£1,400) roubles in 2024, out of at least 131 instances of “LGBT propaganda” that were brought to court.
People were penalised under the legislation for everything from openly acknowledging having sex with kids to displaying LGBT rainbow flags on social media.
Vladimir Putin issued an order in August that streamlined the application process for residence permits for foreign nationals who adhere to Russia’s traditional values.
