War between Russia and Elton John: his AIDS foundation banned and declared “undesirable” for this unbelievable reason
Russia’s general prosecutor’s office has banned the Elton John AIDS Foundation - a decision that “will endanger lives”, the EJAF says.
The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) has been declared an “undesirable” organization and banned in Russia, after authorities in the country accused the non-profit of trying to “discredit traditional values”.
What does Russia say about Elton John’s foundation?
In a statement this week, Russia’s general prosecutor’s office said it has barred the EJAF over its support for “non-traditional sexual relationships, Western family models, and gender reassignment”, according to Reuters.
The prosecutor’s office also alleged that the EJAF has been “participating in the West’s information campaign to denigrate Russia” since the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, launched a full-scale invasion of the country’s neighboring Ukraine in February 2022.
Russia ban “will undoubtedly endanger lives”
Founded by the British singer Elton John in 1992, the EJAF advocates for LGBTQ+ rights and works to tackle the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). If untreated, HIV can cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
“Since 1992, we have raised more than $600 million to support over 3,100 projects in 95 countries globally to increase access to health care, tackle LGBTQ+ stigma, and end AIDS,” the foundation says on its website.
In a statement reacting to the ban, the EJAF said, per Deadline: “For more than two decades, we have worked in collaboration with federal and non-governmental partners in Russia to provide hundreds of thousands of people with vital HIV services, including testing, treatment, and care.
“This work is urgent: in 2024, there were over 1.2 million people living with HIV in Russia, with over 430,000 not receiving treatment. Today’s decision […] will undoubtedly endanger lives and disrupt critical HIV prevention efforts.”
Russia among worst-hit by HIV
According to the Kennan Institute, a U.S. research center that focuses on nations including Russia, the country’s HIV rate as of 2022 placed it among the top-five worldwide locations most affected by the virus.
However, the Russian health ministry has branded such estimates as “provocative propaganda”, says the Kennan Institute’s Daniel Toren.
And in recent years, Putin’s administration has stepped up its repression of the LGBTQ+ community, introducing legislation such as a 2022 law which, per CNN, includes stronger punishments for people who promote “non-traditional sexual relations and/or preferences”.
John takes aim at “vicious” Russian treatment of LGBTQ+ people
John, who is reported to have enjoyed numerous sell-out crowds for past performances in Russia, published an open letter in 2014 that condemned the “vicious homophobia” of the Putin regime’s policies.
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