Popular TikTok Couple Arrested In Russia For Breaking Putin's 'Anti-Gay Propaganda' Laws: 'It Became A Living Hell'
April 7 2023, Published 6:30 p.m. ET
A popular TikTok couple was arrested in Russia this week and found guilty of breaking Vladimir Putin’s “anti-gay propaganda” laws, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Gela Gogishvili, 23, and Haoyang Xu, 21, were arrested on Wednesday in the Russian city of Kazan after being apprehended by Russian police.
Xu, a Chinese national, was then found guilty on Thursday of positively portraying "non-traditional sexual relationships to minors” – a law put into place by Putin in 2013.
According to Newsweek, the 21-year-old Chinese national has since been taken to a detention center for migrants where he will remain until he is deported to China sometime next week.
Meanwhile, Gogishvili is reportedly awaiting trial and – if found guilty – could face a fine of up to $2,500 for breaking Russia’s “anti-gay propaganda” law.
"We were very scared,” Gogishvili told Newsweek after his and Xu’s arrest this week, “it became a living hell because the impossible happened.”
"The policeman told us that it's not that Haoyang didn't have his papers on him but we will be prosecuted for 'gay propaganda' and Haoyang could be deported,” he continued. "Police were not polite to us, but there was no serious abuse and I hope it stays that way.”
"I'm holding in tears because I don't have time to cry right now.”
DELO LGBT+, a Moscow-based LGBTQ organization, has since spoken out in support of the popular TikTok couple and condemned the Russian police for their decision to arrest and charge Gogishvili and Xu for breaking Putin’s "gay propaganda law."
Vladimir Komov, a senior partner for DELO LGBT+, claimed Gogishvili and Xu were only arrested after a local citizen tipped the Kazan police off to the couple’s popular TikTok account.
"The 'gay propaganda' law falls under the Administrative Code, but the Kazan police's criminal investigation department has been looking for these guys,” Komov explained, “and they are treated like they are dangerous criminal offenders.”
"They do TikToks about their everyday life as a gay couple, how they do chores, how they wash the dishes, how they communicate and only share a few romantic moments such as kissing,” Komov continued, “and some cuddling.”
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"How did the police informer and the Kazan police deem there was LGBT+ 'propaganda' on their social media?” he pressed. “These guys just posted videos in which they kiss, hug and show their favorite sleeping poses.”
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Putin introduced the "gay propaganda law" in 2013 to outlaw "the promoting of non-traditional sexual relationships among minors."
The law has reportedly been used to target members of the LGBTQ+ community since its inception ten years ago and has completely banned all positive representation of gay and transgender issues in all forms across Russia.
