Two online film distributors have been charged with offences under Russia’s so-called ‘LGBT propaganda law’.
The companies, Kinopoisk and Restream Media, face an administrative case for the “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships” or “gender reassignment” online, according to the notice posted on Wednesday.
Separate charges were filed on Wednesday against two Kinopoisk and Restream Media executives for the same offence, an online court notice showed.
Both companies have both been fined repeatedly under a similar article banning the “demonstration” of LGBTQ+ relationships to minors.
That resulted from them listing films such as Bridget Jones’s Diary and Perfect Strangers without an 18+ label.
A spokesperson for Kinopoisk told Reuters that the charge was related to its listing of the US television series Supergirl, which features a same-sex relationship, and that the company planned to challenge the court ruling.
“The laws and regulations as currently drafted do not provide sufficient objective criteria for determining propaganda of non-traditional relationships,” the company said in a statement.
“We hope that the current practice of fines against online cinemas will be revised to warnings.”