Russian Court Deems Queen Band Photo ‘LGBT Propaganda,’ Novaya Gazeta Europe Reports

A Moscow resident has been fined for “LGBT propaganda” after posting a classic Queen music video image on social media, highlighting Russia’s increasingly strict enforcement of its anti-LGBT laws.

David Gevondyan, 22, received the penalty for sharing an image of Queen band members dressed in women’s clothing from their iconic 1984 “I Want to Break Free” music video. The case was initially heard in March, but details only emerged during Gevondyan’s recent appeal against the fine, according to investigative outlet Verstka.

During the appeal proceedings, Gevondyan maintained his innocence, arguing that the Queen photograph was merely a shot from a globally recognized music video and shouldn’t be classified as “LGBT propaganda.” He emphasized the historical and cultural context of the image, which shows Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon in their famous drag costumes from the video that has amassed hundreds of millions of views worldwide.

The court, however, dismissed Gevondyan’s appeal, ruling that “posting a photo of Queen members dressed in women’s clothing on a website cannot be interpreted in any musical context given the overall meaning of the disseminated information.” The ruling also cited additional images on Gevondyan’s VK page, including photos of two men kissing and two men dressed in miniskirts, stockings, and wigs.

In its justification, the court claimed that Gevondyan’s actions constituted propaganda because they “positively evaluate non-traditional sexual relationships as natural” and “distort the understanding of relations between men and women, undermining family values.” The ruling further alleged these images posed threats to Russia’s demographic and economic development.

This case represents a notable escalation in Russia’s application of its controversial “gay propaganda” laws, which were first introduced in 2013 and significantly expanded in 2022 to ban any positive or neutral depiction of LGBTQ+ relationships or identities across all media and public spaces. The legislation now prohibits what authorities consider promotion of “non-traditional sexual relations” to Russians of all ages, not just minors as in the original law.

The Queen video in question has an interesting history of controversy. When released in 1984, it was largely inspired by British soap opera “Coronation Street,” with band members appearing in drag to parody female characters from the show. While the video became a hit in the UK and many parts of the world, it was initially banned by MTV in the United States, who deemed it too controversial for American audiences at the time.

In addition to the LGBT propaganda charge, Gevondyan was also found guilty of displaying extremist symbols after authorities discovered a Ukrainian Insurgent Army flag on his VK page. For this separate offense, he received 10 days of administrative arrest.

Human rights organizations have expressed growing concern about Russia’s expanding restrictions on free expression, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ content. The fine against Gevondyan for sharing a 40-year-old music video image demonstrates the broad interpretation and application of these laws, which critics argue are being used to suppress cultural expression and minority rights.

This case adds to the mounting evidence of Russia’s intensifying crackdown on what it deems “Western values,” with authorities increasingly targeting individuals for content shared on social media platforms, regardless of the historical or artistic context of such material.