The music video for the song “So Beautiful” has been removed from the area and from Sergei Lazarev’s YouTube channel, a pop singer who remains a prominent figure in the scene.
Recently, the Vyborg District Court in St. Petersburg fined the music TV channel Aiva 500 thousand rubles for airing the clip. The penalty was issued after authorities deemed the material to be LGBT propaganda, a finding reported by the United press service of the city courts via Telegram.
The court noted a sequence in the video showing hands interacting in a way that suggests caressing, with close attention to spatial position and particular details such as hair, nail shape, manicure, and jewelry. The records state these elements appear to belong to two people of the same gender.
The court described the image as potentially conveying a tactile, sensual exchange between individuals who publicly express their homosexual preferences.
The protocol argues that the material creates a message for viewers that people with non-traditional sexual relationships differ from heterosexual pairs and that their preferences, even if not widely accepted socially, should be seen as at least not entirely out of bounds in society, standing alongside the union of a man and a woman.
The post lists two broadcast dates, August 29 and September 25, when Aiva TV aired the clip.
According to the Vyborg court, the TV channel effectively permitted propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations or preferences.
The song’s accompanying video, released in 2017, features Sergei Lazarev performing, with scenes of couples kissing and embracing, as well as parents holding hands with their children. The clip carried an 18+ rating at the time of release. Lazarev later stated that real couples were filmed rather than professional actors, and that two girls appeared as part of one couple.
He explained that the project showcased a spectrum of love, acknowledging that relationships can be very different yet remain genuine and heartfelt. The footage included both gay and straight couples, as well as familial love between a child and parents, and even highlighted diversity in nationalities.
Propaganda ban
Russia has maintained a ban on promoting non-traditional sexual relations among minors since 2013. In 2022, the law was broadened to cover information dissemination among adults as well.
In a report to the United Nations on human rights progress, Russian Deputy Minister of Justice Andrei Loginov stated that the country’s legislation restricts LGBT propaganda, arguing it does not align with the spiritual and moral foundations of Russia’s diverse population.
Loginov affirmed that LGBT rights are protected through legal practice in Russia and that discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is prohibited in the country.
Shortly thereafter, the Supreme Court of Russia designated the International LGBT Movement as extremist, banning its activities within the country. The move was framed as addressing signs and symptoms of extremist orientation, and incitement to social and religious hatred was cited as part of the assessment. Specific details on the movement’s composition or structure were not disclosed.
On the same day, President Vladimir Putin visited St. Petersburg and spoke about LGBT people as members of society during a United Cultures Forum address, underscoring a stance of inclusion in public life.