The European Parliament voted to support an EU-wide ban on ‘conversion therapy’, passing a resolution that calls on the European Commission to propose legislation #NOH8 pic.twitter.com/8skGo737MC
— NOH8 Campaign (@NOH8Campaign) May 2, 2026
Summary
The Kremlin is aggressively expanding its control over private life by targeting classic literature and personal identities. New laws are forcing bookstores and libraries to purge or redact famous works to align with rigid state moral codes.
Key Stories
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Classic literature faces new state scrutiny — Russian authorities are now labeling masterpieces by authors like Pushkin and Turgenev as 18 plus content to comply with strict new morality and drug propaganda laws.
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LGBTQ plus movement labeled as extremist — The state has effectively criminalized private identities by classifying international LGBTQ plus movements as extremist organizations and banning non-traditional sexual relations.
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Drug propaganda laws trigger book bans — Starting in March 2026, a new law mandates the removal of books containing drug references, affecting world-famous titles like The Master and Margarita.
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Publishers forced into aggressive self-censorship — Fearing heavy fines, many publishers are blacking out passages or rewriting sections of books without telling readers to avoid state penalties.
