Erkka Mikkonen’s WHEN LOVE BECAME ILLEGAL UK Rights Sold & Nominated for the Finlandia Prize

We are very excited to share that Biteback Publishing has acquired the UK & Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) to Erkka Mikkonen’s WHEN LOVE BECAME ILLEGAL – QUEER LIFE IN PUTIN’S RUSSIA, marking the first rights deal for this important non-fiction title. The deal was closed by Martti Berner at Ahlbäck Agency.

Biteback Publishing is Britain’s leading publisher of political and current affairs titles.

This is what Commissioning Editor, Melanie Scagliarini, had to say about Mikkonen’s book:

This is a gripping, deeply moving and important book. Erkka Mikkonen combines the urgency of frontline journalism with the emotional power of a personal love story to expose how love can be turned into a political act.
I am thrilled that Biteback is publishing this remarkable story, which offers a rare and deeply compelling perspective on one of the defining issues of our time. It is both a chilling warning about the fragility of freedom and a powerful testament to the enduring resilience of love.

And there’s more exciting news: WHEN LOVE BECAME ILLEGAL has also been nominated for the 2026 Finlandia Prize in Non-Fiction!

The jury praised the book:

“The book is timely, deeply personal and powerful. Through the author’s own experiences, it compellingly portrays Russia’s transformation and the panic and fear experienced by ordinary people as their country changes. The work offers a perceptive examination of the Russian people, performative morality and even Putin’s gaze. It is an excellent example of skilful journalism and the courage to stand firmly on the side of truth. The book’s greatest message continues to resonate long after reading: love conquers all.“

Finlandia Prize is the most prestigious literary award in Finland, worth 30 000 euros. The winner will be announced on November 26.

Combining the sharp eye of a journalist with the intimacy of a deeply personal story, When Love Became Illegal offers a compelling first-hand account of what it means to witness authoritarianism taking hold — and to see its consequences not only in headlines and legislation, but in the lives of people you love.

Warmest congratulations to Erkka Mikkonen and the publisher, and don’t miss out on this title!

REQUEST MATERIALS FOR WHEN LOVE BECAME ILLEGAL HERE

A journalist’s sharp report of a Russia where love is a crime.

Foreign correspondent Erkka Mikkonen’s personal account of Russia’s descent into totalitarianism and the complete silencing of sexual and gender minorities.

As a young man, Erkka Mikkonen fell in love with Russian culture, hospitality, and the liberal atmosphere of St. Petersburg. In Russia, he also found himself a husband. His earlier image of Russia began to crumble before his eyes.

This timely and perceptive non-fiction book describes how Vladimir Putin’s authoritarian regime began to systematically trample the rights of sexual and gender minorities and how their love and their lives were threatened on an existential level.