Censorship in Russia has intensified, especially since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, targeting LGBTQ+ literature. In 2023, a law was passed classifying the international LGBT public movement as extremist, leading to increased repression in the book industry. Russian police raided bookstores, removing 48 titles from shelves, and detaining individuals associated with publishing LGBTQ+ themed books. The consequences for these individuals include severe legal charges, with some facing up to 12 years in prison. The actions against the publishing industry highlight a resurgence of authoritarian control over literature.
Manuscripts don't burn, the protagonist of Mikhail Bulgakov's novel The Master and Margarita is told. This maxim is voiced by Satan, in reference to the Master's destroyed opus.
In 2023 another bill was passed, outlawing the international LGBT public movement as extremist. These laws are now being deployed in Russia's war on its book industry.
Earlier this year, Russian police, armed with a list containing 48 titles, raided several bookshops, ordering the staff to remove copies of the books on the list.
In May, 10 people affiliated with Eksmo, the country's largest publishing corporation, were detained in Moscow and charged with organising activities of an extremist organisation.
Collection
[
|
...
]