Russia makes it illegal to share Putin 'gay clown' image
Image showing Russia's President wearing eye-shadow and lipstick condemned as 'extremist material'

An image of President Vladimir Putin wearing heavy make-up has been banned in Russia after justice ministry officials classified it as "extremist material".
Item 4,071, which depicts Putin "with eyes and lips made up, hints at the supposed nonstandard sexual orientation of the president of the Russian Federation", says Russia's Federal List of Extremist Material.
Anyone in Russia who publishes or displays the image will now fall foul of Article 282, a "controversial ban on hate speech, which carries a five-year maximum prison sentence", says the Moscow Times.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Gay" Putin memes have multiplied as Moscow has cracked down on sexual liberties and online speech in recent years, the Washington Post says, adding that "Russian news outlets are having trouble reporting exactly which image of the Internet's many Putin-gay-clown memes is now illegal to share".
The Moscow Times says the ban stems from a decision in May 2016 by the Central Regional Court of Tver to ban more than a dozen images uploaded to the social network Vkontakte by a man named AV Tsvetkov. They include the make-up picture, which has been dubbed the "gay clown" image.
Tsvetkov was tried and ordered to receive psychiatric care.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
September 27 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include Donald Trump and the rapture that wasn't
-
Sarah Ferguson: a reputation in tatters
In the Spotlight After emails surfaced revealing ties to Jeffrey Epstein, weeks after she claimed to cut contact, her charities are running for the hills
-
Sudoku medium: September 27, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdown
IN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American cities
Under the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctions
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?
today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designation
The Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across Syria
THE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests