Lena Klimova, who created an online support group called for gay teens called "Children-404" in Russia, has now been convicted under Russia's "anti-propaganda" law. Klimova had once before avoided conviction, but this time was fined 50,000 rubles ($783).
The International Business Times reports:
“The verdict is a fine of 50,000 rubles ($783). We will appeal,” she wrote, as quoted by AFP, which reported that the verdict doesn't force the immediate closure of Children-404, though it does make that more likely.
Klimova founded the Children-404 support group in March 2013 as an online outlet for children and teens living in a country where homosexuals are regularly demonized by lawmakers and assaulted in the streets. The “404” in the group's name is a play on the “Error 404 – Page Not Found” message found online. The slogan for the website translates to “We Exist!” and thousands of teens have flocked to the site since it was founded in 2013.
Klimova has been the target of harassment and intimidation by St. Petersburg Legislative Assemblyman, Vitaly Milonov, who has made anti-LGBT harassment the hallmark of his tenure. Last summer, Milonov led a group to harass Queer Fest in St. Petersburg.
For more information about LGBT advocacy work in Russia, visit www.glaad.org/russia.