Russia launches criminal case over gay couple’s adoption

Russia announced it opened an unprecedented criminal case accusing officials of negligence for allowing a gay couple to adopt two children.

The Investigative Committee, which probes serious cases, said that Moscow social workers were suspected of criminal negligence for allowing the two boys to live in the family since 2010.

This is the first such case ever launched, reported Interfax news agency.

“Nothing like this has happened before,” said lawyer Maksim Olenichev of Coming Out support group based in Saint Petersburg. The case so far does not affect the family directly but if the officials are found guilty, “it could give the state the opportunity to demand the annulment of the adoption,” Olenichev said.

He is in talks with the family to represent them legally because “we think we need to defend this family from the actions of the state.”