Gela: ‘Putin’s tactics are working’

A YouTuber has been arrested in Russia for alleged "LGBTQ+ propaganda" with his partner.

Gela Gogishvili and his partner Haoyang Xu were detained on April 5 for allegedly violating the country's 'LGBTQ+ propaganda' law, which criminalises any act promoting or disseminating information about queer identities.

While Gela was released soon after, Haoyang was held in detention and threatened with deportation before being released on April 25. Gela has warned that the arrest was a "demonstrative spanking," and Putin's tactics are working.

Gela fears that Russia can strip the citizenship of people who speak out against the regime, the war on Ukraine, or even individuals expressing their authentic selves with swift, harsh punishment.