The Russian State Duma (House of Representatives) announced on Thursday that it will debate the total ban on “gay propaganda” by amending a law banning it only among minors.
The amendments to the diploma, sent to the lower house of the Russian parliament this Thursday, propose to “Propaganda of Non-Traditional Relationships, Information Encouraging Adolescents to Change Sex, and Pedophilia”according to the project released by Russian authorities.
Such “propaganda” is strictly prohibited, whether in the media or on the Internet, in books, cinemas, advertisements and audiovisual services.
The legal initiative, which has the support of the five political parties with seats in the lower house of the Russian parliament, could be approved on October 27, the deputies said.
Furthermore, the legislative changes are intended to introduce a mechanism that “Children access gay information on paid services”.
Deputies denied that such a ban could affect the publication of literary classics, such as Vladimir Nabokov’s novel “Lolita,” whose story revolves around an adult’s obsession with a teenager, after several book publishers raised concerns. in this greeting.
Fines for “homosexual propaganda” can be up to five million rubles (more than 82,000 euros).
The ban was supported by media regulator Roskomnadzor, which has already eliminated or blocked more than 7,200 internet sites, as it will provide new tools to prosecute those who take advantage of the so-called “propaganda” currently under legal protection in force. power.
“It is necessary to understand that any content is a bomb. The ban on advertising sexual deviations to persons of any age, not just children (…) should be introduced, as it is precisely adults who contribute to the forming the principles vitals and morals of the new generations”said Andrei Lipov, who chairs the regulator.
Opponents of the ban believe it equates to “gay propaganda” or, more precisely, information about homosexuality, pornography, extremist behavior and encouraging suicide.
Faced with criticism of the repression of sexual minorities, Valeri Fadeev, director of the Kremlin’s Human Rights Council, rejected that the bill would restrict freedom of expression in Russia.
For years, Russian President Vladimir Putin has argued that his country is a moral reserve against Western relativism.
For that reason, the Kremlin has banned the adoption of Russian children by “non-traditional couples” by law, and two years ago included the definition of traditional marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
The European Court and the UN Commission on Human Rights have ruled that Putin’s 2013 “gay propaganda” law promotes homophobia.
Russian gay activists accuse the court of failing to prosecute cases of violence or discrimination against sexual minorities, even though homosexuality was no longer a crime in the country by 1993.
In April 2017, the Novaya Gazeta newspaper reported that dozens of men have been kidnapped, tortured and murdered in the Republic of Chechnya because of their sexual orientation or alleged sexual orientation.
In recent weeks, Russian justice has fined several social networks, such as TikTok, for failing to remove from their content what it considers “gay propaganda”.
Recently, the United Russia Kremlin party also introduced a bill in the State Duma against “propaganda of childless families”.
Source: DN
