Law enforcement officials in St. Petersburg have ordered a historic independent bookstore to pull dozens of titles from its shelves, citing violations of Russia’s strict anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, multiple media outlets reported Thursday.
Podpisniye Izdaniya, a bookstore with a legacy spanning over a century, was reportedly handed a list of 48 books flagged for removal. Among them are works by acclaimed American writer Susan Sontag, exiled feminist poet Daria Serenko, and prominent Russian dissident author Vladimir Sorokin. The list also includes titles by journalists Sergei Parkhomenko and Valery Panyushkin, both labeled as “foreign agents” by the Russian state.
In addition to LGBTQ+-themed literature, several books on feminism were also targeted. A staff member from the bookstore told the Telegram news outlet Rotonda that authorities were particularly focused on publications by the Ad Marginem press, known for releasing works by Sontag, Sorokin, and other critical voices.
Footage aired by broadcaster 78.ru showed police officers inside the bookstore speaking with employees, as shelves labeled “feminism” and “gender studies” were photographed and scrutinized. The local news website Fontanka reported that law enforcement had shown specific interest in titles published by Ad Marginem.
This raid marks a continuation of the chilling effect Russia’s increasingly repressive laws are having on publishers and booksellers. In late 2022, major bookstore chains including Chitay-Gorod, Labirint, and Respublika preemptively removed LGBTQ+ literature from their inventories to avoid potential legal repercussions.
The crackdown followed President Vladimir Putin’s expansion of the controversial 2013 “LGBT propaganda law” in December 2022. The broadened legislation bans any positive depiction or discussion of LGBTQ+ relationships and identities across media, including books, films, and advertisements.
While Russian officials deny maintaining a formal list of banned books, journalists and civil society groups have documented what they claim are extensive informal lists circulated among institutions to enforce the law.
The incident at Podpisniye Izdaniya reflects a broader trend of state-led censorship in Russia, with cultural spaces and independent voices increasingly coming under pressure amid tightening ideological controls.
