Orenburg Court Jails Pose Club Owner, Two Staff in First LGBT Case
Russia

ANTON VAGANOV/Reuters
What Happened
What Happened
Where Sources Agree
- arrows_inputOrenburg Club Staff Sentencing: Sources uniformly report that an Orenburg court sentenced Pose club owner Vyacheslav Khasanov to seven years in prison with a 1 million rouble fine, while manager Diana Kamilyanova and art director Alexander Klimov received sentences of six years and three months and two years and three months respectively, according to court documents.
- arrows_inputFirst Prosecution Under Extremism Ban: All outlets cite the imprisonment of an Orenburg nightclub owner and two employees as the first criminal case brought under the 2023 ban on the 'LGBT movement,' according to official sources.
- arrows_inputVenue Raid and Operations: Reporting establishes that the Pose nightclub, which had operated since 2021 and frequently hosted drag parties, was raided by authorities in March 2024, according to independent reporting.
Where Sources Disagree
- arrows_outputProsecution Precedent Dispute: Most reports characterize the Orenburg nightclub case as the first prosecution under Russia's 'LGBT movement' ban; however, one source clarifies that while this is the first instance of criminal charges, a prison sentence was previously issued in the Kemerovo region in January 2025.
- arrows_outputLGBT Movement Designation: Reports vary slightly in how they describe the 'LGBT movement' designation—some outlets refer to the classification directly, while others qualify it by characterizing the movement as non-existent.
Timeline
June 29, 2026
Court sentences Pose staff: On June 29, 2026, an Orenburg court sentenced Pose owner Vyacheslav Khasanov to seven years and a 1 million rouble fine, manager Diana Kamilyanova to six years and three months, and art director Alexander Klimov to two years and three months; the court also seized 1 million rubles in revenue and barred the defendants from working in entertainment and hospitality for two to three years, and the verdict is subject to appeal.
January 01, 2025
First prison sentence elsewhere: Separate from the Orenburg case, Russia's first actual prison sentence under the LGBT ban was issued in the Kemerovo region in January 2025.
March 01, 2024
Police raid and arrests: In March 2024, Orenburg regional authorities and Russia's National Guard raided the Pose club and arrested the owner and two staff on charges tied to the Supreme Court's "LGBT movement" designation; footage and reports showed masked far‑right members storming the venue and patrons detained. The trio were subsequently charged with organising events showing affiliation with people of non-traditional sexual orientation.
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Timeline
June 29, 2026
Court sentences Pose staff: On June 29, 2026, an Orenburg court sentenced Pose owner Vyacheslav Khasanov to seven years and a 1 million rouble fine, manager Diana Kamilyanova to six years and three months, and art director Alexander Klimov to two years and three months; the court also seized 1 million rubles in revenue and barred the defendants from working in entertainment and hospitality for two to three years, and the verdict is subject to appeal.
January 01, 2025
First prison sentence elsewhere: Separate from the Orenburg case, Russia's first actual prison sentence under the LGBT ban was issued in the Kemerovo region in January 2025.
March 01, 2024
Police raid and arrests: In March 2024, Orenburg regional authorities and Russia's National Guard raided the Pose club and arrested the owner and two staff on charges tied to the Supreme Court's "LGBT movement" designation; footage and reports showed masked far‑right members storming the venue and patrons detained. The trio were subsequently charged with organising events showing affiliation with people of non-traditional sexual orientation.













