A Russian individual purportedly operating a travel agency catering to gay clients was found dead while in custody in Moscow, as reported by the rights organization OVD-Info on Sunday. This incident occurs amid increased repression of LGBTQ+ rights within the country.

OVD-Info, which monitors political detentions, identified Andrei Kotov as the head of the “Men Travel” agency, and he was facing serious allegations of “organizing extremist activity and participating in it.” According to the organization, an investigator informed Kotov’s legal representative that he had died from suicide early Sunday morning while being held in pretrial detention; he was discovered deceased in his prison cell.

Before his tragic passing, independent media outlet Mediazona highlighted earlier this month that Kotov had denied the charges against him. In court proceedings, he claimed that law enforcement officials had physically assaulted him and subjected him to electric shocks during his arrest, despite his compliance.

A little over a year ago, the Supreme Court of Russia effectively prohibited any form of LGBTQ+ activism, labeling “the international LGBT movement” as extremist. This ruling placed members of the community and those associated with it at risk of criminal prosecution, creating an oppressive climate filled with fear and intimidation.

The LGBTQ+ community in Russia has faced increasing legal and societal pressure for more than ten years, a situation that has intensified particularly since Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine began in 2022. President Vladimir Putin has framed the conflict as a proxy war against the West, asserting that the West wants to undermine Russia and its “traditional family values” by advocating for LGBTQ+ rights.