Russian MPs submit proposal to remove ‘gay’ term from propaganda law
Proposed amendments to the controversial anti-gay
law would remove the term ‘non-traditional’ but would ban the promotion
of all sexual relations, gay or straight, to minors
Russian MPs from several political parties have submitted a proposal to amend the country’s anti-gay propaganda law, according to Queer Russia.
If the proposal is signed into law, it would ban the promotion of any sexual relations to underage children. Currently only the promotion of ‘non-traditional’ sexual relations, such as same-sex partnerships, is forbidden.
MPs from the country’s political parties United Russia, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Communist Party submitted the proposal on Friday (24 January).
The bill would exclude the term ‘non-traditional’ from the title of Article 6.21 in the Code of Administrative Offences, ‘Propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations’. Similar amendments are also proposed in two other laws relating to the protection and rights of children in Russia.
Fines of up to one million rubles ($29k, €21k) are proposed as sanctions against those who flout the law, with the amount dependent on whether a offending party is a citizen, official or legal entity.
According to the bill’s authors, the amendments to include the promotion of all sexual relations are necessary due to an increase in sexual activity among adolescents ‘that in recent years has spread throughout the Russian Federation’.
Additional notes state the new proposal aims to preserve traditional values: ‘This bill proposes to deem any information which promotes priority of sexual relations as opposed to family life values, spiritual and intellectual development of minors as information harmful to the health and (or) development of children.’
The Russian government has come under intense criticism from LGBT activists and prominent figures around the world since the law was passed in June 2013 by President Vladimir Putin.
Several world leaders have since announced they will not be attending the Winter Olympic Games held in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi next month, with US President Barack Obama sending a delegation of openly gay athletes in his place.
If the proposal is signed into law, it would ban the promotion of any sexual relations to underage children. Currently only the promotion of ‘non-traditional’ sexual relations, such as same-sex partnerships, is forbidden.
MPs from the country’s political parties United Russia, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Communist Party submitted the proposal on Friday (24 January).
The bill would exclude the term ‘non-traditional’ from the title of Article 6.21 in the Code of Administrative Offences, ‘Propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations’. Similar amendments are also proposed in two other laws relating to the protection and rights of children in Russia.
Fines of up to one million rubles ($29k, €21k) are proposed as sanctions against those who flout the law, with the amount dependent on whether a offending party is a citizen, official or legal entity.
According to the bill’s authors, the amendments to include the promotion of all sexual relations are necessary due to an increase in sexual activity among adolescents ‘that in recent years has spread throughout the Russian Federation’.
Additional notes state the new proposal aims to preserve traditional values: ‘This bill proposes to deem any information which promotes priority of sexual relations as opposed to family life values, spiritual and intellectual development of minors as information harmful to the health and (or) development of children.’
The Russian government has come under intense criticism from LGBT activists and prominent figures around the world since the law was passed in June 2013 by President Vladimir Putin.
Several world leaders have since announced they will not be attending the Winter Olympic Games held in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi next month, with US President Barack Obama sending a delegation of openly gay athletes in his place.
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