The conviction stems from a case where Russian authorities interpreted the cover of Strömquist's book 'Kunskapens frukt', which features two female faces meeting, as lesbian propaganda, according to the cartoonist. Strömquist believes Russian authorities reacted more to the book covers than the content itself. The small publisher had previously faced challenges in Russia, including an age restriction of 18 and being sold shrink-wrapped, as reported by Helsingborgs Dagblad.
Essentially, the publisher withdrew the books to avoid hassle, but someone from Russian authorities found a copy in a small bookstore and pursued the case, Strömquist said. In recent years, Russian authorities have become increasingly strict in censoring culture that is considered to promote an 'LGBTQ-friendly agenda' or otherwise does not fit the regime's wishes, according to official sources. The specific legal charges or penalties imposed on the publisher in the Russian court remain unclear, as does the name of the publisher involved.
It feels terrible for the publisher's sake, I feel for them.
It is also unknown which Russian court issued the conviction and when it occurred, or how authorities officially justified it as 'LGBTQ propaganda'. The impact of this conviction on the publisher's operations or future publications in Russia has not been detailed.
I don't think they have read.