Russia's Supreme Court bans LGBTQ activism

• "Human rights defenders fear that the ruling will allow the authorities to arbitrarily prosecute anyone for any activities related to LGBT rights," Human Rights Watch wrote.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin has made social conservatism a core part of his political appeal, frequently contrasting Russia with more liberal Western countries and targeting gay rights in particular. He previously signed a ban on "LGBT propaganda."

Context: In a lawsuit, Russia's Justice Ministry argued that the LGBTQ movement included extremist signs and manifestations intended to incite "social and religious discord."

• The hearing occurred in private without a defendant, according to the AP. LGBTQ activists were not allowed by the court to take part in the proceedings.
• While the "international LGBT movement" was labeled extremist, that movement is not represented by a single organization, effectively leaving it up to authorities as to how to enforce the ban.

State of play: The UN Human Rights Council denounced the Supreme Court's decision.

• "The law must uphold the principles of equality and non-discrimination," Volker Turk, the UN human rights chief, said in a statement. "It must never be used to perpetuate discrimination."

Go deeper: Putin signs law expanding ban on "LGBT propaganda"