LONDON 鈥 When Russian cities started banning Pride marches, LGBT+ rights activist Mikhail Tumasov took to the internet to make sure his organization kept its voice. But state authorities were quick to catch up.听听
Mr. Tumasov said the country鈥檚 internet regulator had tried repeatedly to shut down his group鈥檚 website under the terms of Russia鈥檚 2013 鈥渁nti-gay propaganda鈥 law, which bans the dissemination of LGBT+ information to children.听听
So far, his organization 鈥 the Russian LGBT Network 鈥 has been able to challenge the shutdowns in the courts.听听
鈥淪omehow we succeeded,鈥 Mr. Tumasov said.听听
鈥淪o听our website is still up and our social profiles are still up. But not everyone is so successful,鈥 he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone.听听
According to a major global report published this week by three rights organizations, 32 different LGBT+ websites were blocked at least once on Russian internet providers between mid-2016 and mid-2020.听听
鈥淣ews websites on LGBTIQ-related topics were most commonly blocked, followed by cultural and human rights sites,鈥 said the report published by听OutRight听Action International, the University of Toronto鈥檚 Citizen Lab and the Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI).听听
Same-sex relations in Russia are legal, but attitudes about sexuality and gender identity remain conservative for the most part.听听
In a 2020 referendum, voters backed an amendment to the constitution to allow marriage only between a man and a woman听鈥斕 effectively听closing the door on potential future legislation in听favour听of same-sex weddings.听听
鈥淕overnments听filter LGBTIQ websites using a variety of methods, but typically consisting of legal and technical methods,鈥 said Irene听Poetranto, senior researcher at the Citizen Lab tech human rights group and one of the report鈥檚 co-authors.听听
These can include passing laws that restrict 鈥減ornography鈥 as well as specifically targeted anti-LGBT+ legislation, Ms.听Poetranto听said in e-mailed comments.听听
鈥淔or example, in Russia, the anti-gay propaganda law was enacted supposedly to protect children/minors and thus, LGBTIQ website censorship is conducted for the same reason.鈥澨听
Russia鈥檚 internet regulator听Roskomnadzor听did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.听听
鈥楧ANGERS TO NATIONAL SECURITY鈥听听
Besides Russia, the report focused on Indonesia, Malaysia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), using software developed by OONI that measures different forms of internet censorship.听听
The six countries were chosen because they were known to monitor LGBT+ content, Ms.听Poetranto听said.听听
According to the report, website bans violate Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), of which Indonesia, Iran, and Russia are signatories.听听
The multilateral treaty says 鈥渆veryone shall have the right to freedom of expression … (including) freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers鈥.听听
Of the countries听analysed, Iran blocked the highest number of website addresses linked to LGBT+ content.听听
鈥淚n total, 75 unique LGBTIQ URLs were detected as blocked in (Iran), followed by the UAE, where 51 unique LGBTIQ URLs were found to be blocked,鈥 the report said.听听
Five years ago, Indonesia鈥檚 government said it would move to ban LGBT+ sites, and at least 38 LGBT+ websites are currently blocked in the country of 270 million people, the study found.听听
Lini听Zurlia, advocacy officer of regional LGBT+ organization ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, was working at听Arus听Pelangi, an Indonesian LGBT+ advocacy group, when the government announced the crackdown.听听
She said the organization had received a letter from the government saying it was 鈥渙n the list鈥 of sites to be shut down, though it eventually escaped a ban.听听
鈥淭he LGBTIQ community is characterized by governments as dangers to national security and threats to the moral fabric of society,鈥 Ms.听Zurlia听said in emailed comments.听听
Indonesia鈥檚 Communication and Information Technology Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.听听
Local activist groups are not alone in having their websites targeted.听听
Grindr, one of the world鈥檚 most popular gay dating apps, has been banned in countries including Indonesia, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the UAE.听听
鈥淕rindr is not directly involved in challenging any bans by foreign governments,鈥 a spokesman said in emailed comments.听听
鈥淏ut we are aware of community-based efforts in several places to have bans overturned and strike back against attempts to limit LGBTQ life locally.鈥澨听
In Russia, Mr. Tumasov said the internet provided a vital social lifeline to LGBT+ people, with the website clampdown reflecting broader discrimination and disregard for their rights.听听
鈥淭he LGBTI community鈥檚 freedom of speech is suffering from a lot of threats from homophobic people,鈥 he said. 鈥斕Hugo Greenhalgh/Thomson Reuters Foundation听
