Russia bans Elton John Aids Foundation over its support for LGBTQ+ rights

Russian authorities on Thursday banned the Elton John Aids Foundation (EJAF), which focuses on HIV/Aids prevention, citing its support for LGBTQ+ rights as a reason for the move.

Founded by the British singer and songwriter in 1992, the organisation funds HIV treatment programmes in countries including Russia. It also advocates for LGBTQ+ people, who have faced years of brutal persecution in Russia.

In its statement, Russia’s prosecutor general’s office designated the EJAF as an “undesirable organisation”, a label that bans the group from operating in Russia and exposes its staff and partners to potential criminal prosecution.

The prosecutor general’s office accused the foundation of promoting “non-traditional sexual relationships, western family models, and gender reassignment”.

The prosecutor’s office alleged that EJAF held “negative attitudes” toward countries that “uphold traditional spiritual and moral values”. It accused the foundation of taking part in a campaign to “discredit Russia” since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

“When a musician plays along with those trying to sow the seeds of democracy, it is propaganda. And when it’s Elton John calling the tune, then it’s more than just anti-Russian propaganda too,” the statement read.

“In our country, the British foundation works closely with non-profit organisations designated as foreign agents,” the Russian law enforcement agency added.

The ruling is the latest blow to human rights groups supporting Russians living with HIV and Aids. According to Rospotrebnadzor, the federal agency for public health and consumer rights, more than 1.2 million people in Russia have HIV, the highest per capita rate in Europe.

The country has faced chronic shortages of HIV medication since 2023, leaving many patients struggling to access tests and life-saving antiretroviral therapy.

Repression of Russia’s LGBTQ+ people has escalated since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Authorities recently labelled what they described as an “international LGBT public movement” as extremist – a designation that has already led to the arrest and jailing of LGBTQ+ individuals across the country.

John, who has a loyal fanbase in Russia, has long campaigned for LGBTQ+ rights there. In 2014, after a series of sold-out concerts in the country, he published an open letter condemning Russia’s “gay propaganda” law and offered to introduce Vladimir Putin to members of the LGBTQ+ community.

A year later, the Kremlin announced that the Russian president had personally called John and offered to meet – a move prompted by a prank after two comedians posing as Russian officials tricked the singer into a phone conversation that was later released online.