Russia Declares ILGA World 'Undesirable

Russia has officially branded a leading global LGBTIQ+ rights organisation, ILGA World, as “undesirable”. This label effectively makes it a crime for people in Russia to work with or support the group. The move deepens an already harsh crackdown on queer activism and international human rights work inside the country.

What you’ll learn in this article

• Who ILGA World is, and what Russia’s decision actually means
• How the “undesirable organisations” law works in practice
• How this fits into Russia’s wider crackdown
• Why it matters and what ILGA World is saying in response

ILGA World – the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association – is a Geneva‑based federation that brings together more than 2,000 LGBTQ+ organisations from over 170 countries and territories. On 21 January 2026, Russia’s Ministry of Justice quietly added ILGA World to its official list of “undesirable organisations,” a designation confirmed by ILGA and multiple independent outlets after appearing on the ministry’s website. ILGA says it was given no prior notice or explanation, and has still not been formally told why the decision was made.

Under Russia’s “undesirable” law, foreign or international groups placed on the list are banned from operating in the country, opening branches, organising events or distributing materials. Russian citizens and organisations are prohibited from cooperating with them, including through funding, project work or even sharing content that could be seen as “participation”.

Human rights monitors note that individuals convicted of involvement with an “undesirable” organisation can face fines and, for repeat offences or certain activities, prison sentences of up to six years. ILGA World warns that this will significantly increase the risk for Russian activists who remain in contact with international networks.

Russia has spent more than a decade building a dense web of laws aimed at silencing queer expression and activism.

A 2013 federal “propaganda” law banned positive or neutral information about “non‑traditional sexual relations” in materials accessible to minors. In 2022 and 2023, those rules were expanded to effectively outlaw public mention of LGBTQ+ identities for all ages, and the Russian Supreme Court went further by declaring the “international LGBT movement” an extremist organisation. That extremist label allows authorities to shut down groups, seize materials and bring criminal charges against people accused of involvement in vaguely defined “LGBT movement” activities.

International reports have repeatedly documented the impact of these measures on queer people’s safety. The United States’ 2023 human rights report on Russia notes that authorities used “non‑traditional sexual relations” laws to justify arbitrary arrests of LGBTQI+ people, and cites credible reports of state violence against queer individuals, particularly in Chechnya.

ILGA‑Europe and other monitoring groups say the new “undesirable” designation is part of a broader strategy to isolate Russian civil society, cut off international solidarity and intimidate human rights defenders into silence.

ILGA World’s executive director, Julia Ehrt, has described the move as “outlandish and cynical,” arguing that it targets not only one organisation but the idea of cross‑border solidarity itself. In a public statement, ILGA framed the designation as “yet another step” in Russia’s harassment and criminalisation of LGBTI people and those who work alongside them.

The federation says it will continue supporting local movements and documenting rights violations, stressing that no government can “legislate LGBTI people out of existence”.

For activists on the ground, the risk is now brutally clear. Working with ILGA World, participating in its projects or even being associated with its materials can be interpreted as cooperation with an “undesirable” organisation, triggering criminal liability. That reality is likely to push more advocacy underground or into exile, and may make it harder for Russian queer communities to access international support, training and emergency assistance.

For the rest of us, the designation is a reminder that anti‑LGBTQ politics and authoritarianism often travel together. Labelling a global human rights network “undesirable” sends a deliberate message: queer lives, independent organising and cross‑border solidarity are incompatible with the state’s official story.

The response from ILGA World and other organisations has been to double down on connection – insisting that even when borders close, community doesn’t.