Actress and singer Selena Gomez was recently denied a visa to Russia, according to The Moscow Times. The visa denial forced Gomez to cancel two shows in Russia. Concert organizers told RIA Novosti that Gomez was denied a visa because of her pro-gay views, which are discouraged under the country’s anti-gay law.

Not everyone in Russia supports the country’s new anti-gay law. Yevgeny Finkelshtein of the Petersburg Music Industry company expressed concern that initiating witch hunts after visiting performers expressed their support for gays would turn people away from visiting Russia.

“Not a single person is going to visit us if the Prosecutor General’s Office starts disputing something or looking for guilty parties,” Finkelshtein lamented, according to RIA Novosti.

Russia’s decision to make it more difficult for performers expressing their pro-gay views to enter the country has received plenty of criticism from the gay community.

“This cancellation of Selena Gomez’s visa shows that the Russian government is sensitive and on the defense, and shows that the pressure from people all around the world and the backlash against these laws is strong,” gay rights activist John Becker told E! Online.

Becker has every reason to be disappointed, as the gay rights activist created a petition on Change.org asking Gomez to support Russia’s LGBT community during her performance, according to the New York Daily News. The petition has been signed by more than 14,000 people.

Open criticism of Russia’s anti-gay law by celebrities is nothing new, as Madonna and Lady Gaga have already spent their time in Russia expressing their own pro-gay views. In fact, Madonna was sued by anti-gay activities who said that the pop singer championed same-sex relations with children during her show.

What do you think of Russia’s anti-gay law? What do you think of performers who  express their pro-gay views despite Russia’s new law? Will Russia eventually bow to pressure and get rid of their anti-gay law? Share your thoughts in the comments section.