Eksmo CEO Yevgeny Kapyev Released After Police Interrogation

Yevgeny Kapyev, CEO of Russia's largest publisher Eksmo, and some employees were released from police custody after being questioned over allegations of LGBTQ+ 'extremism'. The investigation is particularly related to the distribution of the novel 'Summer in a Pioneer Tie' published in 2021.

Scraper SystemMay 01, 2026, 04:47 PM

Eksmo CEO Yevgeny Kapyev Released After Police Interrogation

Yevgeny Kapyev, CEO of Russia's leading publisher Eksmo, and some employees were released after being questioned under police custody in an investigation concerning allegations of LGBTQ+ 'extremism'. The investigation was initiated regarding the distribution of the novel "Summer in a Pioneer Tie," published in 2021, which deals with LGBTQ+ themes. The novel is set in a Soviet-era summer camp and focuses on the relationship between a youth and his counselor. In Russia, the LGBTQ+ movement was defined as 'extremist' by the country's supreme court in 2023, leading to increased pressure on such content. While no official charges have been filed against Kapyev yet, some sources indicate that the investigation is ongoing and that Kapyev is expected to give another statement in the coming days. Eksmo publishing house has not made an official statement on the matter. Additionally, it was reported that the managers of Popcorn Books, the original publisher of "Summer in a Pioneer Tie," are under house arrest. These developments in Russia are seen as an indication of increasing legal and social pressures on LGBTQ+ content in the country.