Russian Feminist Activist and Artist Risks Six Years in Prison Over Social Media Posts

Russian feminist and LGBTI+ activist Yulia Tsvetkova may face up to six years in prison on charges of pornography, after sharing some of her artwork on social media. Yulia Tsvetkova is known for her illustrations, activism, and theatre work, and has previously been persecuted and harassed because of her activism.

A criminal investigation was initiated against Yulia Tsvetkova in October 2019 and she has been under house arrest since 22 November. The charges against her stem from some of her drawings of the female body, including body-positive pictures, posted on social media as part of a women’s empowerment campaign. She has previously been fined under Russia’s controversial and widely condemned ‘gay propaganda law’.

The charges against Yulia Tasvetkova are believed to be unjust and represent an attempt to silence her voice and artistic expression, which she has used to speak out on equality, gender identity, and a positive body image.

In a joint statement, Civil Rights Defenders and ten other organisations demand Tsvetkova’s unconditional release from house arrest and call on the Russian authorities to repeal the so-called ‘gay propaganda law’.

Read the statement in full here.