A Russian court announced on Tuesday that two women who were caught on camera sharing a kiss at a restaurant in Russia had been fined more than $500 (Ksh.69,500) apiece for encouraging "non-traditional relationships."
In the video, which depicts a spoof marriage proposal at a restaurant in the southern city of Krasnodar, the couple, who are 19 and 24 years old, exchanged rings and then shared a kiss.
Russia outlawed "LGBT propaganda" more than ten years ago. Since then, it has gradually strengthened its legal framework to make it illegal to depict "non-traditional" relationships publicly or through the media.
"In February 2024, the girls posted a video clip with indecent behaviour in a public place... The police established their identity," Krasnodar region's court service said.
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The video was deemed "scandalous" by the court, and both parties were accused of encouraging "non-traditional sexual relations."
"The court decided to find them both guilty of committing an administrative offence and imposed a penalty in the form of an administrative fine of 50,000 rubles ($544) each," it stated. The sum is marginally less than the average monthly wage in the area.
Video footage that the state-owned RIA news agency obtained showed the two later at a police station making groveling apologies.
"I apologise to those who think that we are naturally pro-LGBT. We are against this topic. We all know what laws we have and we didn't expect this to happen," one of the women said, her face blurred.
An off-camera individual asked them why they had made the video, and she responded that it was "hype" for their social media followers.
Since beginning its military invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin has increased its use of conservative rhetoric even more, portraying the conflict as a war against the West and its ideals.
In November, the Supreme Court of Russia declared the "international LGBT movement" to be extremist, imposing legal penalties on anyone who shares LGBTQ symbols or participates in pro-LGBTQ activism.
