Overview

• The Golovinsky District Court has been hearing the case since June with six sessions held, and the next hearing is set for October 8, according to court records.
• Investigators completed their probe and forwarded a three-count indictment to the court, including charges under Article 282.2 for creating and participating in an extremist organization.
• The case also alleges the use of children under 14 to produce pornographic materials under Article 242.2, which the court cited as the basis for closing the proceedings to the public.
• Kotov was arrested in early December 2024 and was found dead in a Moscow pretrial detention facility on December 29; preliminary reports described a suicide, and his death was confirmed by rights council member Eva Merkacheva.
• Defense statements dispute the evidence and say he organized ordinary tours for men, while investigators assert he arranged paid trips for LGBT people, which Russia designates as an extremist movement.