We talked with Ivan Osipov on the phone. The name the young man asked to change. He closed his accounts on social networks from strangers.

- You really were subscribed to the LGBT group on VKontakte? - the question is RT.

- Yes, I did. Once my friends asked me to subscribe to get the number of participants involved. But I was signed nominally - I did not go into the public, did not comment on anything there, did not like, did not repost. I am subscribed to 300 different groups, but at the university they found this one and got hold of it. I quickly unsubscribed, but they told me that it was too late.

- Who said and when?

- It all started on September 10 (Osipov by this time managed to study for only nine days. - RT ). I was told that the vice-rector of the university for social work, Roman Krasnov, was calling me to his place. Social Monitoring Service found that I am in a group about same-sex relationships. September 11, I came to Krasnov. I spoke with him for about 30-40 minutes. He stated that I am engaged in the promotion of same-sex relationships. I’ll be expelled and sent to the army for breaking the law, where they will have to “correct” me ... The vice-rector said that I have a pink phone and this is another proof of my guilt.

  • Roman Krasnov
  • © Ural State Economic University

“Is he pink?”

- This is a coral iPhone XR. I was saving up for it at school for several months, moonlighting as an animator at children's parties. It was a new bright color, I liked it. I also told the vice-rector that I have a girlfriend, but Krasnov replied that this was a cover. Allegedly, I am talking about a girl in order to hide my true orientation.

“Have you been dating a girl for a long time?”

- Six months. We met at the concert of the Sansara band. The girl graduated from school, but has not yet entered a university - she wants to spend this year searching for herself. I have not yet decided who I will become in the future. She believes that this whole story is some kind of wildness. Everyone I tell agrees that I'm not to blame for anything.

Ivan Osipov entered the Ural State Economic University this year under a special quota. The young man has no parents - dad died in a car accident, and my mother died of peritonitis. Ivan was raised by grandmother Lyudmila Viktorovna. Now the pensioner is very afraid that the grandson may be left without education.

Unlike many students who do not really know who they want to become in the future, Ivan acted quite consciously. Osipov is studying to be an event organizer. “I've been working as an animator at parties for a long time. I like it and I want to improve in this area, ”a student explained to RT.

A freshman also plays in the Yekaterinburg youth national theater "Game". In 2018, the team took the Grand Prix at the international theater festival SZENARIUM in Bulgaria for interpreting the story of the ugly duckling - the production of “Wild”.

  • © Photo from the personal archive

September 19 at the "Game" begins a 10-day tour of Europe. Paying for the tour is the same prize for winning the festival.

- The university is informed that I will not be able to attend classes. I have provided letters from the theater and from the host in Europe. I was officially allowed to miss lectures and seminars during the tour, ”RT said Ivan.

“Aren't you afraid to leave at such a crucial moment?”

“What will I do?” The trip was planned a year ago. They count on me. Do not cancel all because of such stupidity.

At the request of students

Meanwhile, the rector of the Ural Economic University, Yakov Silin, has already stated that Osipov has not yet been expelled. In response to a request from RT, the administration of Ural State Economic University sent an official comment by e-mail on behalf of Rector Silin. In it, in particular, it is said that the monitoring of students' personal accounts is "carried out on a systematic basis."

  • Jacob Silin
  • © Ural State Economic University

In the case of Osipov, "students of the Ural State Economic University asked for verification of the social networks of one of their peers (names under the law on personal data were not disclosed)."

As stated in the commentary, “during a meeting with the vice-rector for social work of Ural State Economic University, R.V. Krasnov didn’t talk about expelling a student, "the young man" was informed that the university’s leadership did not intend to intrude on his personal life, but indicated that propaganda of unconventional relations and linking this to the university and the entire student body of the university was unacceptable. "

Glaring Discrimination

Semyon Yankevich, head of the laboratory of educational law at the Institute of Education of the Higher School of Economics, is confident that in this story the Ural University violated several laws at once.

“I’ve never heard that universities (with the exception of the military) monitor social networks of students. For the Russian education system, this is not at all characteristic. Ural University is not right in this situation. Subscribing to a public on social networks cannot be considered propaganda. In fact, the university violated the secret of the freshman’s personal life. It is impossible to expel a student for his sexual orientation - as I understand it, from this everything actually started - no matter what it is. This is blatant discrimination. If the student were expelled, he could safely complain to Rosobrnadzor and to the prosecutor's office. The student chose publicity - also a good option. Attracting public opinion can protect you in the event of a clear injustice, ”said RT lawyer.

The Commissioner for Human Rights in the Sverdlovsk Region Tatyana Merzlyakova also does not agree with the position of the university leadership.

“Not in the Urals entered the university. We are already accustomed to a variety of opinions, people, a tolerant attitude, and here it is. I spoke with the rector of the university - the guy is definitely not expelled. Now, for some time, apparently, I will need to look after the student in order to protect his rights. Next week there will be a meeting at the university where the participants in the conflict will discuss what happened. I strongly condemn such pressure on students, ”the Ombudsman said in a conversation with RT.

Meanwhile, a change petition was posted on change.org for the resignation of the rector of USUU Yakov Silin. At the time of publication, more than 1 thousand people signed up for it.

In groups of students of Ural State Economic University in social networks, they are outraged that the university administration is monitoring personal accounts. But in general, young people approach the situation with humor. For example, on the cover of the community on VKontakte they put a photo of the university building, on which the letters in the name of the university with the help of a photo editor are painted in rainbow colors.