Russian blogger accused of starting a ‘gay terrorist underworld’ by security services
A Russian blogger says he was accused of creating a “gay terrorist underworld”, by security services.
Andrei Marchenko, a blogger from the Khabarovsk region in the east of Russia says unidentified members of the Federal Security Service (FSB) came to his home and “turned the apartment inside out.”
The investigators were looking for US dollars, extremist materials and drugs, Marchenko told local reporters.
“They were very aggressive, and one investigator said immediately that I’d have to go with them after the raid; he was apparently very confident that they’d find something. Judging by the two video cameras [they had with them], they were expecting to find millions of dollars, banned books and a bunch of underage boys,” he said.
Marchenko has expressed his support for gay rights on his blog, and that he was accused of creating the “gay terrorist underworld” a week ago after being summoned to the FSB. He was also accused of supporting Ukraine.
Local LGBT activst Alexander Yermoshkin was also accused.
Four computers, five phones, USB drives, hard drives and a modem were confiscated from Marchenko’s home, and he was left with no communication devices.
He was told to return for questioning on Friday, and that investigators hope to charge him with public incitement of hatred.
Four years in prison is the maximum punishment for the crime.
