Trans Activist Faces Harm In Men’s Prison
A Russian trans activist who was jailed for protesting new anti-LGBT+ legislation faces possible harm, including sexual assault, in the men’s cell she’s been placed at.
Polina Simonenko was found guilty by a Moscow court of repeatedly violating protest rules, and she was subsequently sentenced to 14 days in jail. She was detained for protesting against a bill that would ban gay and trans marriage and adoption in Russia.
The LGBT faction of Russia’s Grazhdanskoye Obshchestvo (“Civil Society”) activist movement revealed that Simonenko is now under threat of intimidation and bullying from guards and cellmates.
“There could be rape. It’s disgusting,” the group said.
Simonenko’s lawyer said she has been placed in a male cell because her documents reflecting her gender have not yet been changed.
The group said that police officers beat Simonenko and fellow activists during their detention and in court.
As ‘The Moscow Times’ report, Russia classifies trans people as mentally ill and requires them to obtain a psychiatric diagnosis of “transsexualism” before receiving prescribed controlled hormone treatment.
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