Charges against four Dutch tourists visiting Russia have been dropped.

Yesterday initial reports suggested that three tourists had been arrested under the country’s new anti-gay propaganda laws, however it has now been revealed that four people were arrested and they were filming a documentary highlighting LGBT rights in the country.

The group was lead by Kris van der Veen, a councilman from the Dutch city of Groningen. Groningen is a sister city of Murmansk where the group was arrested. The Councilman is a gay activist and member of the green left party Groenlinks.

While the group was ultimately not prosecuted under the anti-propaganda laws, their footage was seized by police and they were fined for not complying with the rules of their visas.

Russia recently introduced laws that make it illegal to promote homosexuality to people under 18 years of age.

OIP Staff