Russian authorities arrest employees of largest publishing house over alleged ‘LGBT propaganda’ in books
On May 14, in the Kremlin’s latest crackdown on the publishing industry, Russian security forces questioned staff of Eksmo, the country’s largest publishing house, and arrested about 10 employees. State media reported that the case is part of a criminal investigation tied to content in books labeled “LGBT propaganda” by the authorities. Here’s what we know so far about the case.
On Wednesday, police came to interrogate staff of Eksmo, Russia’s largest publishing house, the Telegram channel VChK-OGPU and the independent outlet iStories reported. According to the state news agency TASS, Eksmo’s distribution director, Anatoly Norovyatkin, and about 10 others were arrested as part of a criminal case related to the recruitment or involvement of individuals in “extremist” organizations.
Eksmo told TASS that the investigation was connected to alleged “LGBT propaganda” in titles published by Popcorn Books. (The Eksmo publishing group acquired a 51 percent stake in Popcorn Books in August 2023.) “Security forces presented a warrant to seize several books in connection with a criminal case allegedly related to ‘LGBT propaganda’ in Popcorn Books titles,” a company representative said. “We have no information about Norovyatkin, but our legal team is trying to find out more. Eksmo itself has no connection to extremism.”
Later on Wednesday, Individuum, another publishing house acquired by Eksmo, confirmed that law enforcement officers had also carried out searches at the homes of its staff, who were subsequently detained. “Our colleagues are currently being questioned by investigators as witnesses,” the publisher said in a statement. “We do not know who will be charged, or with what. […] For now, we are suspending our activity on social media.”
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Shortly before Eksmo’s acquisition of Individuum in 2023, Russia’s Justice Ministry designated the company’s former owners, Andrew Baev and Alexey Dokuchaev, as “foreign agents.” Baev and Dokuchaev were targeted for their role in the publication of A Summer in the Red Scarf, a novel by Katerina Silvanova and Elena Malisova about a romance between two boys at a Soviet summer camp.
The book, released by Popcorn Books, became a bestseller in 2022. It drew heavy backlash from Russian lawmakers and pro-Kremlin commentators due to its themes. Facing threats, both authors left Russia and were later designated as “foreign agents.” At the time of the novel’s publication, Popcorn Books was owned by Bookmate, an online reading app and digital publisher which, in turn, was run by Baev and Dokuchaev, iStories reported.
At the same time, a source cited by VChK-OGPU claimed that the extremism case was based not on bestselling titles, but on the distribution of “little-known books with specific content.”
According to three publishing industry sources who spoke with BBC News Russian, those arrested in connection with the Eksmo searches include Dmitry Protopopov, an executive affiliated with both Popcorn Books and Individuum, and Pavel Ivanov, a former sales director. A source in the publishing industry told the human rights organization OVD-Info that Eksmo employees involved in management, shipping, and accounting were among those taken into custody.
On May 15, a day after the raids, Russian authorities formally charged three individuals in the case, according to the human rights group Department One. Investigators claim the distribution of “queer literature” — including A Summer in the Red Scarf — amounts to organizing and participating in the activities of an “extremist” organization. BBC News Russian named the defendants as Protopopov, Ivanov, and Artyom Vakhlyaev, the head of warehouse and book distribution operations. Meanwhile, Norovyatkin, who had been reported among those detained, was released following questioning, according to TASS.
Popcorn Books has described itself as publishing “gripping works of fiction” that explore controversial or marginalized themes. In November 2022, Russia’s State Duma passed legislation banning “LGBT propaganda,” which took effect the following month. In response, Popcorn Books announced it would suspend the publication of books featuring queer themes. In November 2023, Russia’s Supreme Court declared the non-existent “international LGBT movement” an extremist organization and banned it nationwide.
Moskva News Agency