Former Popcorn Books Publisher Receives Suspended Sentence in LGBTQ+ ‘Extremism’ Trial

Aug. 7, 2026 Dmitry Protopopov. Sergei Vedyashkin / Moskva News Agency A Moscow judge handed down a four-year suspended sentence on Friday to the former head of the independent publishing houses Popcorn Books and Individuum after finding him guilty of LGBTQ+ “extremism.” Dmitry Protopopov was among three senior managers arrested in May 2025 and charged with “extremism” following a 2023 ruling by Russia’s Supreme Court to outlaw the so-called “international LGBT movement,” thereby making it a criminal offense to publish, sell or distribute literature with LGBTQ+ themes. Prosecutors accused Protopopov and his colleagues of devising a scheme that would allow them to sell books with LGBTQ+ themes to “loyal customers” in an effort to avoid writing off 10 million rubles ($121,700) in losses. In addition to the suspended sentence, a judge from the Zamoskvoretsky District Court placed Protopopov on probation for five years and banned him from working in publishing or managing websites for four years, granting the prosecution’s request in full. The court also seized 8.7 million rubles ($106,000) representing Protopopov’s total earnings while employed by Eksmo, Russia’s largest publishing group. Eksmo acquired majority stakes in Individuum and its imprint Popcorn Books in 2023. Protopopov entered into a plea deal and testified against senior executives at Eksmo. “I want to apologize to anyone who suffered pain as a result of my actions,” Protopopov said during his final statement in court. Former Popcorn Books sales director Pavel Ivanov and warehouse manager Artyom Vakhlyayev both received four-year suspended sentences in separate trials earlier this summer. The human rights organization Memorial has designated Ivanov, Vakhlyayev and Protopopov as political prisoners. Read more about: Court cases , LGBT Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Moscow Court Finds Man Accused of Organizing LGBTQ+ Tours Guilty 1 Year After Suicide in Police Custody State investigators had said that Andrei Kotov, who ran the Men Travel agency, died by suicide in late December 2024. 2 Min read Trans Woman Charged With Justifying Terrorism Launches Hunger Strike in Jail Olga Sivushkova was arrested in January for allegedly sharing a link to an interview with a spokesman for the Freedom of Russia Legion, a Ukraine-based... 2 Min read European Court Rules Russia Violated Free Speech of LGBTQ+ Website Managers ECHR said Russia’s restrictions on content presenting same-sex relationships as equal to heterosexual ones violated the six plaintiffs’ freedom of... 1 Min read Russian Women Fined $1,000 Over Restaurant Kiss A police report was filed against the two women after they were filmed kissing each other at a restaurant. 1 Min read