Police in an unidentified Russian region filed reports against a 13-year-old boy on charges of “LGBT promotion” and displaying extremist symbols, the independent Russian news outlet Mediazona reported.

Journalists withheld the region and the boy’s name to protect his identity.

According to his defense attorney, the boy showed an image or video to other children or their parents, who then filed a complaint with police.

“He wasn’t trying to spread any propaganda — he doesn’t even know what that is. A joke turned into this. The child didn’t think about the consequences, and now the system has activated,” the attorney said.

Russian law permits administrative charges only from age 16, so authorities closed the case against the boy. Police then passed the file to a commission that handles juvenile cases.

The commission issued the boy a warning under the “LGBT promotion” report. On the second report — displaying extremist symbols — commission members determined that the child “is subject to correction” and raised the question of transferring him to a boarding school for juvenile offenders. He was also registered as a juvenile offender.

The defense attorney described the boy as an honor student who participates in academic competitions and wins creative contests.

The attorney has filed court appeals against the juvenile affairs commission’s decisions.