KOMSOMOLSK-ON-AMUR, Russia — Activist and artist Yulia Tsvetkova, 29, has been acquitted by a Russian court of distributing "pornography" and "LGBT propaganda" after being arrested for posting drawings of female anatomy online, for which she could have faced up to six years in prison if convicted.
"The case prompted nationwide protests in solidarity with her, which in turn saw dozens of people detained... Tsvetkova was charged under Russia's controversial 'gay propaganda' law, which bans the promotion of homosexuality among people under 18," the BBC reported today.
The prosecution has 10 days to appeal the verdict. "Most cases that go to court in Russia end in conviction," the BBC noted.
Amnesty International decried the charges against Tsvetkova as "absurd."
"In a country where state-sponsored homophobia and misogyny are the norm, Tsvetkova's trial was a landmark case," the organization said in a news post today. "The Russian authorities must immediately stop targeting feminists and LGBTI activists."
Tsvetkova spent months under house arrest after criminal proceedings were launched in 2019. In June, the Kremlin declared her a "foreign agent."
"The trial was held behind closed doors due to what officials called the display of pornographic images in the hearings," noted the Moscow Times.
She was featured in the BBC's "100 Women of 2020" list, which "recognizes inspiring and influential women who are making a difference during turbulent times."
Image: Yulia Tsvetkova social media