A woman in Russia has received a hard labor sentence for creating gay fanfiction centered around a K-Pop boy band. Alexandra Kuzyk, a 36-year-old photographer and stylist, was arrested and charged with producing illegal pornography for writing online stories involving fictional sexual relationships with the South Korean pop group Stray Kids.
Ms. Kuzyk confessed to the offense after facing a four-year prison term demand from prosecutors in Yekaterinburg. She mentioned that she used to write fanfiction as a hobby. Recently, she was sentenced to 18 months of compulsory labor, with the state withholding 10% of her earnings.
The case began almost a year ago when a woman reported finding same-sex fanfiction by Alexandra Kuzyk on her underage daughter’s device. Authorities seized various items from Kuzyk’s residence, including laptops, smartphones, and CDs.
During the investigation, Kuzyk informed an LGBT group that she was not selling any stories. The materials were reported to have been sent to Roskomnadzor by the woman after discovering her daughter’s involvement in LGBTQ+-related content.
Additionally, law enforcement discovered other fanfiction works by Kuzyk online, which included themes of “non-traditional love.” The Russian courts have increasingly imposed compulsory labor sentences as part of the government’s crackdown on LGBT rights, following the implementation of stricter regulations against promoting nontraditional sexual relationships.
In separate incidents, individuals like Mark Kislitsyn and Tatiana Zorina faced severe legal consequences for their involvement in supporting LGBT causes. The government’s actions have extended to targeting individuals like Diana Kamilyanova and Alexander Klimov, who are now at risk of lengthy prison terms for their alleged involvement in drag performances.
Recently, Russian authorities conducted a raid on the Moscow offices of Eksmo, a major book publisher, over concerns of “LGBT propaganda” found in the works of Popcorn Books, a subsidiary imprint. The company’s director and several employees were detained for questioning.
