Coalition for investigating Russian anti-LGBTQ propaganda and hate crimes in Ukraine

Washington, DC & Kyiv – QUA - LGBTQ Ukrainians in America (an association of LGBTQI+ Ukrainians who live in the U.S.) and the Ukrainian LGBTQ organization FULCRUM UA cooperate together for initiating a coalition for investigating Russian anti-LGBTQ propaganda and hate crimes in Ukraine as a part of war crime against humanity. We hope the result of our research work will be a part of the trial process against Russia in the International Criminal Court.

The Russian government had been spending years of propaganda against the LGBTQ community, and weaponizing very simple human rights issues for one reason - to produce hate crimes in Ukrainian society, divide Ukraine, manipulate public opinion, and, as a result, prevent Ukraine from becoming part of Western projects (the European Union, NATO and other western projects). Since 1991 when Ukraine got independence, Russia had been trying to attack the country and used soft power to return Ukraine to the new Soviet Union project. The more Ukraine made progress on human rights and LGBTQ issues, the more the Kremlin increased pressure and pushed hate crimes against minorities to a new level. The Kremlin has created an ecosystem of hate and propaganda that mainly focuses on sensitive topics that can divide society and awaken the dark side of a human being.

They specifically targeted such minorities as the LGBTQ community, Jews and Roma (Gypsies) and such topics as language and emigration. That hate ecosystem includes pro-Russian journalists, Russian government media channels, magazines, tv channels, social networks, bot farms, Members of parliament, politicians, religious groups, churches, and other pro-Russian actors. They were investing a lot of money and resources into making sure Ukrainians hate their own LGBTQ community.

We believed the Russian propaganda machine should be investigated as the world investigated Goebbels, and as the same people who promote hate crimes against LGBTQ people should be brought to justice.

We encourage other advocacy LGBTQ organizations to unite and together with investigators cooperate with the International Crime Court to make surе everyone, who had committed hate crimes against the LGBTQ community, would face justice.

If you are interested in joining the coalition and working together on preventing anti-LGBTQ propaganda in Eastern Europe, you can write to us at info@qua.community. If you are a witness or a victim or have information about Russian anti-LGBTQ propaganda and hate crimes, please, email us at icc@qua.community or any other social media.

Bogdan Globa QUA - LGBTQ Ukrainians in America

Timur Levchuk FULCRUM UA

Olena Hloba TERGO