Russian parliament passes ‘LGBT propaganda’ law to further restrict speech – National

Russia’s parliament on Thursday approved a bill that expands the ban on “LGBT propaganda” and limits “demonstrations” of LGBT behavior, making expression of the LGBT lifestyle almost impossible.

Under the new law, which still requires the approval of the Senate and President Vladimir Putin, any behavior or information deemed to be an attempt to promote homosexuality, whether in public, online, in movies, books or advertising, is at risk. There is a possibility. heavy fines.

Previously, the law only prohibited the promotion of LGBT lifestyles for children. The new bill also prohibits “demonstrating” LGBT behavior to children.

Lawmakers claim they are defending the traditional values ​​of the “Russian world” against the liberal West determined to destroy them. This argument is increasingly being used by officials as one of the justifications for Russia’s military operations in Ukraine.

Authorities are already using existing laws to stop gay pride marches and detain gay rights activists. It states that it intends to completely eliminate the so-called “non-traditional” LGBT lifestyle that is practiced from public life.

“LGBT today are an element of a hybrid war in which we must protect our values, our society and our children,” said Alexander Kinstein, one of the bill’s authors. said last month.

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Legal experts say the bill’s wording is ambiguous, leaving it open to interpretation as broadly as law enforcement wants, leaving members of the LGBT community in an even greater state of uncertainty.

Kseniya Mikhailova of the LGBT support group Vykhod (“Coming Out”) said that while adult-only gay bars and clubs would probably not be advertised and would probably still be allowed to function, same-sex people in public He said that kissing in between could be considered a violation.

And she said same-sex couples would start fearing their children would be taken away because they were shown an LGBT lifestyle.

The law provides for fines of up to 400,000 rubles ($6,600) for individuals and up to 5 million rubles ($82,100) for legal entities. A foreigner could face her 15 days’ arrest and subsequent deportation.

Mikhailova said the initial ban on LGBT “propaganda” against minors nine years ago sparked a wave of attacks on the LGBT community and now a “tsunami” could be expected. LGBT people. ”

Political scientist Ekaterina Shulman said the law would ban any showing that LGBT relationships or tendencies are “socially acceptable” or “equivalent to so-called traditional familial or sexual relationships.” said it was intended to

In an interview in Cologne, Germany, she said, “Writers, publishers and just people think twice before even mentioning anything LGBT related.”

Shulman said the bill was also a “huge victory” for the communications regulator Roscomnadzor, who had already “taken over the powers of the political police” and now sought all kinds of information for LGBT propaganda. He said he has the authority and responsibility to monitor.

Video-sharing app TikTok was fined 3 million rubles last month for promoting “LGBT-themed videos.” Meanwhile, Russia’s media regulator has asked publishers to consider withdrawing sales of all books containing “LGBT propaganda.”

(Reporting by Filipp Lebedev and Ben Tavener; Writing by Kevin Liffey; Editing by Gareth Jones)