In its final reading, the lower house of the Russian parliament voted overwhelmingly to approve a bill that would further stigmatize LGBT people and ban so-called homosexual “propaganda.”
The State Duma voted 434-0 with one abstention on Tuesday to approve the bill, which imposes hefty fines for holding gay pride rallies or providing information about the LGBT community to minors.
The last time the Duma read the bill, it also passed with ease, but this time was a cakewalk in comparison. The bill now needs to be approved by the upper house before being signed into law by President Vladimir Putin.
Considering that Putin is rearing to sign a ban on same-sex adoption, the propaganda bill is all but assured.
The only other change to the final version of the bill was the use of the vague-sounding “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations” instead of “homosexuality,” defining propaganda as the “distorted image of equality of traditional and non-traditional sexual relationships.”
So basically this could get you in trouble:
LGBT organizations will find it nearly impossible to operate being that by definition they could be subject to a 1 million ruble ($30,790) fine and suspension of all activity. Individuals could face a 5000 ruble ($166) fine.
Gay rights activist Nikolai Alekseev called the law an “incitement to genocide” against LGBT people. “The State Duma is following a trend of the government trying to appeal to the illiterate, who are very homophobic,’ Alekseev told Gay Star News. “It cannot get worse. People are getting killed because they are gay. No one really cares in the government.”
Ahead of the vote, gay rights activists attempted to hold a kiss-in outside the State Duma, which quickly escalated into violence as hundreds of Orthodox Christian activists and members of pro-Kremlin youth groups attacked them. The AP reports:
The mostly burly young men with closely cropped hair pelted them with eggs while shouting obscenities and homophobic slurs. Riot police moved in, detaining more than two dozen protesters, almost all of them gay rights activists. Some who were not detained were beaten by masked men on a central street about a mile away.
The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association of Europe (ILGA-Europe) condemned the law and urged European and international institutions to “consider meaningful actions again Russia demanding to repeal this law and to stop state-sponsored homophobia in the country.”
The law is expected to go into effect by the end of the month.
2eo
I still find it funny that they try and convince the world Russia isn’t a state run by a group of violent oligarchs and oil barons who whip old KGB operatives into voting in favour of their mob money.
Polaro
From the nation that has failed at every form of government since feudalism; no surprise. They used to elect all their leaders unanimously too, after they were told how to vote.
Daniel-Reader
The one person who abstained was the only one who apparently thought through the ramifications of what can only be deemed an act of genocide against LGBTA people. So if this becomes law, this would mean that the global LGBTA community is no longer bound by any treaties with Russia, right?
ChiChi Man
Where is the international community? It seems like things are getting worse for LGBT people in Russia, yet I’m not seeing world leaders condemning these conditions. Maybe I’m not looking hard enough?
Alan down in Florida
I think this merits the international community, or at least America, boycotting the upcoming winter Olympics.
litper
Boycott Winter Olympics!!!
2eo
@ChiChi Man: I think the history of poisoning and murdering critics of the state probably keeps a few traps shut. Given how Putin has personally ordered the murder of at least 50 opponents of his rule it isn’t safe to be in a position of power and speak against them.
Derek Williams
One feels so powerless against this tide of anti-gay hatred enveloping Eastern countries. Russia has never respected human rights, and care even less about international opinion, but it is by no means alone – even worse tyrannies exist in the Middle East, especially Iran (along with 6 other countries with the death penalty for same sex love), where they recently executed two 16 year old boys for being in a relationship.
erikwm
Boycott the 2014 Winter Olympics.
hephaestion
I used to love Russia in spite of its thuggish politicians. But this is over the top. Russia is now officially the most ignorant and hateful country on earth.
jeff4justice
Meanwhile Putin is divorcing amid infidelity rumors. He’s such a scumbag.
stfallon1028
I have no words