Russian Publisher Sentenced Over LGBT Books

A Russian court has handed publisher Dmitry Protopopov a four-year suspended prison sentence after convicting him of selling books that touched on LGBT topics, considered a serious offense in Russia. He was also fined 8.7 million rubles ($105,000, according to the state TASS news agency.

Protopopov, the head of Popcorn Books, admitted his guilt and apologized to the court and to society. The publisher specialized in books for teenagers and young adults, some featuring LGBT characters or storylines.

One of its most successful titles, Summer in a Pioneer's Tie, tells the story of two boys who fall in love at a Soviet summer camp. The book initially became a hit in Russia, selling more than 200,000 copies in its first six months.

Moscow has banned the LGBT movement, designating it as extremist and those supporting it as terrorists. Private Russian companies, including book publishers, are routinely fined for hosting LGBT content.

(Reuters, mja)