Russian Authorities Accuse LGBT Activist Of "Abasement Of Human Dignity"

Authorities are investigating Konstantin Golava over comments he posted online in 2014.

Russian authorities summoned Konstantin Golava, an LGBT activist from the city of Tolyatti, for questioning Wednesday on extremism charges.

Golava faces charges under article 282 of Russia's Criminal Code, which covers "incitement to hatred or enmity" against individuals or groups based on sex, race, ethnicity, origin or religion, the regional investigative committee said in a press release.

Investigators searched Golava's apartment and confiscated his laptop and other electronic equipment.

"Returned from the Investigative Committee. They questioned me, took my signature on non-disclosure of details of the case," Golava wrote on Facebook on Wednesday. "Reports that I was allegedly imprisoned somewhere are not true. Things are not as bad as they could have been."

According to the investigators, in 2014 Golava posted material on social media that contained "linguistic and psychological evidence of the abasement of human dignity" of members of an online group for ethnic Russians in Russia.

Golava, 24, has been a vocal critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin's government and Russia's 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine.

Last week he appealed the local draft commission's denial of his request to complete alternative civilian service in lieu of military service, which is mandatory for Russian men ages 18-27. in 2013, Golava was laid off from his job at a youth center in Tolyatti after he said his employers gave him an ultimatum to stop his activism on LGBT and environmental issues.

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