Russia's Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that the "LGBT movement" should be designated as extremist, in a move that representatives of gay and transgender people fear will lead to arrests and prosecutions.

Russia’s Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that the “LGBT movement” should be designated as extremist, in a move that representatives of gay and transgender people fear will lead to arrests and prosecutions.

A Reuters reporter in court heard it announce that it had approved a request from the justice ministry to recognise what it called “the international LGBT social movement” as extremist and to ban its activities.